


When Your Fantasies Become Your Legacies (was Every Time We Touch)

by commandergreeneyes



Category: Elyza Lex (Fanverse), QTWD, The 100, queer the walking dead
Genre: Dogs, F/F, Fix-It, Fluff and Smut, Most of them at least, So excited, Zombies, all the headcanons, also kind of a, and the huge-fucking-something that i am TOO EXCITED about, but it's gonna take me a bit to get there, every time we touch, i screamed when i realized the connection, note, so be patient with me :), this is one big mix-mash-up of canons from the 100 and QTWD, you guys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-10
Updated: 2016-04-08
Packaged: 2018-05-25 20:56:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6209809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commandergreeneyes/pseuds/commandergreeneyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>TITLE CHANGE: was Every Time We Touch</p><p>Elyza has a shotgun, a machete, and copious amounts of black leather because who has time to clean black blood out of their clothes in the apocalypse? Like seriously.<br/>Alicia has a red leather vest, two pistols in each hand, and a smirk on her lips because her girlfriend once killed half a horde single-handedly, and that makes her pretty hot.<br/>Fish the golden retriever needs a bath (always) and never leaves their side. </p><p>*katara voice* And I beliEVE, that THey can sAVE the wORLd.</p><p>(The fic where an anon requested a first kiss story, and I decided to take it a little further. Hope you're in for the long run- I'll be writing this for the foreseeable future, and I could not be more excited!)<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. How to Pick up Chicks: Be a Zombie Slayer in an Apocolypse

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr as commandergreeneyes (real creative i know) (i love that username okay)
> 
> also Jrottinhell is featured as a walker. You should see what happens to him man woowee!

When Elyza first sees Alicia, she's a blur of pastel colors and soft morning daylight.

Despite the Walkers approaching rather rapidly, all Elyza wants is colored pencils between her fingers and a drawing pad on her knees, to capture this fleeing brunette beauty.

She settles for the 12-gauge shotgun trigger curved under her index finger, the machete strapped to her back, and the .45 Smith & Wesson pistol sheathed to her thigh.

Elyza leaps from the roof she'd been lounging on to the bed of her truck below, scrambling into the cab and sparking the wires hanging underneath the steering wheel. 

Tires spin and dust spits as she takes off. 

* * *

 

Alicia is running down the center of the next street over, arms pumping and eyes blown wide. 

She'd been raiding the deli shop on Wayfair Ave. when the Walkers appeared. It was always the breathing that gave them away, the rattling phlegm in their throat, the growls as the scent of a warm body hit their nose.

Alicia grabbed the canned food and ran without looking back. 

Tires squealed in front of her and a crusty old truck reeled around the corner, heading straight for Alicia. The middle of the road was not the place to be running, despite the general worldwide apocalypse.

The beige truck screams to a stop, breaks protesting, and the blonde in the drivers' seat leans over and throws the passenger door open.

"Get in!"

Alicia doesn't second guess this fierce girl, and she clambers in breathlessly, the blonde already pressing the pedal to the floor before Alicia can finish closing the door.

"Damn! Hang on!" Alicia barks.

The blonde just grins as she hunches toward over the wheel, heading straight toward the Walkers shuffling up the street.

"What the hell? We're supposed to be running  _away_ from them!"

The blonde girl swerved the wheel as they neared, aiming for a pasty Walker with no lips. He looked like a Jason. The blonde was clearly out for blood. 

She rammed the side of the car into Jason and spun the wheel, letting the tail of the truck circle around and sweep the rest of the handful of Walkers off their feet. The tires even took off one's foot. Alicia was thrown into the dash of the car, and would've cracked her head on the windshield if not for the muscular arm that shot out across her chest, acting as a makeshift seatbelt. 

The car had barely stopped, and Alicia was still dizzy, when Blondie hopped out and pulled her shotgun with her. 

Alicia watched as if in a stupor as the leather-jacketed girl walked up to one Walker stumbling to its feet and raised her shotgun.

_CRACK._

The sound made Alicia jump. Blondie reloaded.

_CRACK._

_Chic-chic._

_CRACK._ More brains splattered onto the street. 

Alicia bolted out of the car to the asphalt, where she could vomit without ruining any car interiors.

_CRACK!_

Alicia's ears rang and head spun as she got up and ran toward Blondie, yelling.

"You can't do this!" Alicia grabbed Blondie's arm, staying the shotgun blast momentarily. The Walker breathed loudly between them.

Blondie looked hard at Alicia, and for the first time Alicia noticed her eyes were sky blue, her lips were rose pink. 

"And why can't I? They were going to kill you." Blondie challenges, pointedly looking at Alicia's hand on her forearm.

Alicia doesn't move. "They're people! They're just sick. You can't just blow their brains out like they're nothing." 

Blondie's face doesn't budge from its grim frown. She moves the hand not held by Alicia, and grabs the machete with a vicious twirl.

She brought it down on Jason's head, cleaving it in two before Alicia could even retaliate.

"They're dead."

 

* * *

"Are you coming or not?" Elyza is walking towards the truck. The brunette behind her is still staring at the halved Walker.

When Elyza reaches her door, the brunette finally turns and walks to the passenger side, eyes stubbornly meeting Elyza's.

They both get in the car. 

Elyza faces the brunette. "You've got a little something on your cheek."

The brunette pulls down the mirror and wipes blackened blood off her cheekbone, her green eyes hard.

God, Elyza thought. What a work of art. 

The brunette stares through the awkward silence, unspoken thoughts heavy in the air. 

"Your name?" Elyza figures that would be a good place to start.

Another long pause, another long stare.

"Alicia. Alicia Clark."

"Ah, Alicia," Elyza rolls the name around in her mouth. "Hello then, Alicia." She sticks her hand out.

Alicia stares, with those big, green, fathomless eyes.

She doesn't shake the proffered hand.

Elyza shrugs, mumbling something about blood being on her hand and she wipes at it. Kickstarts the truck, which coughs to life.

Never to be discouraged, Elyza peps up, "Where can I get you to? Family, friends?" 

Alicia doesn't respond. At least she'd dropped her eyes to the shotgun on the seat next to her- Elyza would prefer her stare at a lethal weapon rather than stare into Elyza's own soul.

"Alright, then, I'll just take you to my place until you learn to speak again." 

Alicia remains immobile.

Then, calmly, she says, "You never told me your name."

If Elyza hadn't glimsped those full lips moving she would've thought it was the engine groaning.

Elyza glanced over for a long moment, hands still at ten and two on the wheel. She grinned.

"I'm Elyza Lex. Zombie Slayer." She dramatized the word "slayer", hoping to coax a laugh out of Alicia.

Alicia didn't even quirk her lips. 

"Nice to meet you, Blondie."


	2. How to Pick up Chicks: Be a Competent, Hot, Ruthless Human Being

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elyza takes Alicia to her "borrowed" house and various scenes ensue
> 
> their conversations just end up being clexa references I'm sorry i don't plan this it just comes out. im absolute trash it's so much fun

Thankfully, the drive to the Elyza's street was extremely short.

Elyza yanked the wheel into the driveway, pulling into a doorless garage, crammed with construction equipment, cleaning materials, and a backup generator humming in the corner. She surreptitiously snuck another glance at Alicia, who was memorizing the names of the chemicals shelved on the walls.

The truck doors slammed extra loud when closed under Elyza's strong hand, and she headed back out into the midafternoon sunlight, checking up and down the suburb street.

Alicia appeared quietly behind her.

* * *

 "Why did you kill them like that." Alicia's voice was hard. Her green eyes were hard. Everything about her was hard, shell-like and defensive.

Blondie looked up at her, blue eyes clear as the sky above. "Simple," she shrugged, turned away, not answering Alicia. Elyza began to head for the front door.

Alicia stared in disbelief at this strange girl, covered in black leather and deadly weapons, tattoos and scrapes- she jogged to catch up.

"Nothing about this is simple." Alicia was finally the one to stare while Elyza avoided her gaze.

Elyza fitted the key into the door with one try and twisted the lock, opening it to a dark, blue-painted foyer with kiddie rainboots on the floor and a coat on the rack. Elyza waltzed in, breezing past the details she'd discovered days ago. 

Alicia paused, gazing at the pictures of a smiling family on the wall. Her heart caught in her throat. She hoped they'd made it out.

"It's not simple." Alicia repeated quietly. 

Elyza shot a glance over her shoulder as she dropped her shotgun and machete harness on the couch. She watched Alicia scanning the walls. Walked back toward her slowly. 

"You know what's simple? I saw a pretty girl running from some infected undead that would eat her flesh. Sure, you may think it looked harsh, what I did. But let me tell you something." Elyza's gaze both deepened and became cold.

Alicia flicked her eyes to meet steel blue fire.

"That's survival."

Alicia set her jaw defiantly. "Maybe life should be about more than just survival." Her eyes flashed. 

Elyza smirked, but she backed down, and moved off into the house. 

* * *

Elyza fixed some lunch while Alicia investigated quietly, roaming throughout the memorabilia that Elyza had respectfully left unmoved. Her boxes of ammo were set out on the clean side of the table.

"Where's the bathroom?" Alicia asked, hands in pockets, hips cocked to one side. "I want to get the blood out of my shirt."

Elyza looked up from the sandwiches. "Down that hall on the right. But it won't come out. I tried."

Alicia looked Elyza up and down. "Is that why you wear all black in midsummer in Southern California?"

Elyza smirked, busying herself with the food. "Something like that."

Alicia muttered something that sounded a lot like "I'll be back" and she turned and left the room.

* * *

 

Elyza had been eating for a few minutes when Alicia returned, her face and hair damp, wet marks on her white shirt from wiping at black blood. Elyza tried and failed to not notice the way her skin showed through the wet spots.

Alicia looked down at the plate set across the table from Elyza. "I'm gluten-free."

Elyza rolled her eyes. "It's the fucking apocalypse."

Alicia stood there.

"Well, is it a choice or an allergy?"

Alicia quirked her head, lifted her eyebrows, and sat. Took a huge bite out of the whole wheat, ham, and spinach sandwich. That answers that.

"This is disgusting."

"I know."

Alicia smirked, and Elyza's mouth watered.

* * *

 

The two spent the rest of the day wandering around each other. 

Alicia found herself in the bathroom several more times, mostly just to think. She stared into the mirror, hands braced on the sink, trying to sort out her thoughts of Elyza. This girl was certainly... badass. That was for sure.

But she had some kind of heat around her, some sort of warm fire that drew Alicia in like a fly. 

Plus, she was hot. Maybe that was it.

But she was absolutely ruthless. Obviously no qualms about death. Clearly. 

So why the hell was Alicia so tongue-tied around her? Thank god for her lifetime experience of keeping her mouth shut. 

The door swung open.

"Oh! Sorry. It wasn't locked." Elyza had taken off her jacket. She was wearing a low-necked tank top. Black.

"It's alright. I was just leaving." Alicia bowed her head. 

They traded spots awkwardly in the tight bathroom, Alicia especially not paying attention to the proximity closing between their bodies. Especially. Of course. _Hello, she kills people._

Her breathing was too loud, she knew it. _God_.

Elyza noticed the change in the air. Seeing only Alicia's stone face, she mistook the nerves for fear, or something similar.

Unthinkingly, she reached out and caught Alicia's wrist before she could step out of the bathroom. 

"Hey, are you okay?"

Alicia started, looking down at Elyza's hand, then into Blondie's compassionate eyes, framed by worried brows.

Alicia nearly melted- what was it with that warm feeling all over? _Jesus_.

"Yeah." She shook off Blondie's hand and hurried off.

Elyza watched her go, tracing the lines of her legs and back with her eyes as the other girl disappeared down the hallway.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayyy what did you guys think?? did you pick up on the clexa references?  
> Did you notice how Alicia calls her Blondie (in her head and out loud) whenever she feels Elyza getting too close?
> 
> And Elyza's just a little puppy, a little, bloodthirsty puppy.
> 
> They both SO have the hots for each other!  
> Hopefully the next chapter will be up by midnight tonight, because I am so highkey about this.


	3. How To Pick Up Chicks: Annoy Her Until You Become Endearing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elyza shamelessy, though subtly, hits on Alicia and it takes Alicia three lonnngggg days to give in
> 
> EDIT: I added a new scene since the first posting!

 

Looking back, Alicia had never known a more stressful three days. Not even the time she had six core-class midterms in a week. 

Elyza was the cause of it.

The blonde wouldn't let up. She was always in Alicia's space, just a little too close, or just far enough to make Alicia want her closer. So that, like, Alicia could hear her. Of course. That was the reason.

One time, Elyza even sat on the couch next to her, the damn  _loveseat_ , batting her lashes, and suggested they watch a movie.

Alicia had glared, and Elyza quickly suggested they read in separate rooms of the house.

She was always talking, too. Incessantly. Alicia couldn't help but notice the silence when she was out of the house.  Despite her intentions otherwise, she began looking forward to Elyza's return every day.

Another time, Alicia swore she _timed_  leaving the bathroom door unlocked, specifically so that Alicia would walk in for her routine 9:30am shower. Elyza was in her sports bra and sweat pants that hung low on her hips, covered in a sheen of perspiration from a morning run.

Alicia nearly fainted. But all she did was mutter sorry and shut the door.

Leaning against the closed door, it took her a solid two minutes to catch her breath, staring at the ceiling.

Alicia would swear in court, on the Bible, and in front of God that she heard Elyza's satisfied giggle.

No matter how much Alicia tried, she couldn't get the tattoos out of her head. All she caught was a glimpse- black ink swirling on her hip and over her bicep, one peeking out from under the sports bra. Alicia didn't even want to think about the way her sports bra strained forward, the way Elyza's sweats dipped below what one would call "low-rise" pants.

Alicia doesn't know why she hasn't left yet.

* * *

It had been a long few days for Elyza, too. Flirting can be exhausting.

Every day she asked herself why Alicia didn't leave- she had every reason to. Elyza was gone more often than not, making rounds throughout the surrounding neighborhoods, picking off the Walkers the military thought they'd finished.

And when Elyza did come home, she was tired, and didn't have the energy to be too subtle about her attraction.

Alicia just kept brushing it off. 

When Elyza purposely left the bathroom door unlocked, she was sure of the mutual attraction. Alicia couldn't hide everything from her face, and the raised eyebrows, "o"-shaped mouth, and intense gaze at Elyza's midriff was a dead giveaway.

Elyza stopped worrying about trying so hard after that. Ironically, that was when the brunette began to open up.

Three days after Elyza picked her up, Alicia made her first gesture. 

She brought her a glass of water when Elyza collapsed onto the couch, sweating and breathless, animatedly retelling how she brought down a 250-pound ("At _least_!") Walker that afternoon.

Alicia was smirking as she watched Elyza reenact the part where she shot the Walker through the ear and then cut off its nose, before putting a bullet through its skull. Somehow, Elyza still made it sound endearing.

The glass of water was in Alicia's hand before she knew what happened, and then she was walking toward Elyza, handing it to her, blushing, causing the blonde to stop mid sentence in surprise.

Later, Alicia told herself that it was _just a glass of water._

Elyza told herself it was more.

* * *

 

Alicia's second gesture caught them both off guard.

Elyza came home late one night to Alicia propped up on her elbows, spread out on the living room floor amidst couch cushions, _Pinocchio_ playing on the TV screen as the only source of light in the room. 

Elyza took an extra moment to revel in the domesticity of the scene.

"Honey, I'm home!" Elyza sang, trying not to startle Alicia by sneaking up on her. Sometimes Elyza was too quiet for her own good.

"Oh! Hey! Where the hell have you been!?" Alicia scrambled off the cushions. "You're late."

"You were worried about me?" Elyza grinned, the yellow light from the TV glinting off her hair in the dark room. "How sweet." 

Alicia rolled her eyes, feigned aloofness. "Of course I wasn't worried." Her neck flushed. "I know you can take care of yourself." She added, mumbling. 

On screen, Pinnochio's nose grew.

Elyza just grinned wider. "Can I join in on your slumber party?" She asked, walking over and taking a seat on the cushions before Alicia could say anything. "Why exactly aren't you just on the couch?" 

"I couldn't get comfortable."

"So you moved the coffee table, pulled all the pillows and cushions and a single blanket, and chose the floor?" 

"Well, yeah." Alicia shrugged, resuming her previous position- lying on her stomach with her face in her hands, feet swaying in the air behind her.

"Sounds like we need some popcorn, then."

"We _have_ that?" 

"I've been saving it." Elyza got up and headed for the kitchen.

"Saving for what?"Alicia called

"This moment." 

She padded onto the tile floor, cold under her bare feet, dropping her jacket off on the table. She flicked on the fluorescent bulb hanging from the ceiling. When she reached up to the high cabinet on the right, her stash cabinet, her whole body suddenly jerked in pain.

Shs doubled over, letting a small yelp past her lips. Elyza was no stranger to pain, but this had come out of nowhere. She put a hand to her side and pressed, gasping. Definitely her ribs.

In the living room, the movie went silent.

Elyza gripped the counter, breathing hard and shallow, trying to make the pain pass. She didn't want to worry Alicia.

"Elyza?"

_Damn it._

Alicia appeared around the corner, her eyebrows upturned in concern. "Are you okay?"

Elyza smiled, but it came across as more a grimace. "Of course." 

"No, you're not." Alicia walked toward her, looking directly at her face.

Elyza turned away, hiding her grim look.

"Elyza..."

"I'm fine."

Silence.

"I promise." She added. "Nothing I haven't dealt with before. Just my ribs."

Alicia was right behind her now- Elyza could feel the warmth radiating off her body. Alicia's voice was quiet, soft, something that Elyza never heard before. "Elyza, you're in pain." 

Alicia's hand broached the gap between them, coming to rest on Elyza's elbow. 

"Let me help you."

Elyza tried to convince herself that she didn't hear the concern, the worry, the _care_ in Alicia's voice. She failed.

"Please." Alicia whispered. 

Elyza turned to face the brunette, looking in her green eyes briefly, leaning heavily on the counter. Surrendering.

"You said it was your ribs?"

Elyza nodded.

Alicia attempted to not hyperventilate as her fingers moved to the hem of Elyza's tank top. Tried not to stare at the biceps and tattooed collarbone bared in the harsh gray light. For once in her life, she understood the "no bare shoulders in school" dress code- Elyza's shoulders should be illegal.

"May I?" Alicia would be lying if she said her heart wasn't pounding.

Elyza nodded again.

Alicia lifted the black fabric, revealing inch by inch the smooth skin underneath. There was a scar across Elyza's abs, and Alicia could see the hip tattoo more clearly. It looked like a semi-circle, partially covered by the waistband of Elyza's jeans. The ink bloomed across her hipbone, spokes poking out of the circle. 

It took a moment for Alicia to catch her breath.

She lifted the tank higher, spotting a patch of dark blood trickling downwards.

Elyza couldn't stop staring at the the brunette's fingers, brushing against the blonde baby hairs on her tummy, sending heat straight to her abdomen.

An ugly gash came into view, directly below her sports bra and the tattoo peeking out. 

"You're bleeding." Alicia said, numb. The combination of tight abs, the proximity of Elyza's lips, her breath in her hair, and then the blood... it was making her head spin.

"Yeah, no shit."

Alicia glared, secretly glad Elyza was still joking. She must be fine. "How did you not notice this?"

"Adrenaline." Elyza shrugged, then winced, fresh blood seeping out of the gash when she moved. 

Alicia grabbed some napkins off the table and wet them, pressing them with feather-light touch to the injury, staining them. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure. I was in a warehouse looking for more food, and a couple of Walkers came out of the manager's room. There were only 3, and they were all lightweights. So I did fine, got two down before the third stepped in- then I guess my machete got caught in between us."

Alicia flashed her gaze up from dabbing at the blood, concern all over.

"I clearly got the sharp side of the deal."

Alicia smirked. "Clearly," she said, trashing the napkins. "Do we have any bandages? A first aid kit?" 

Elyza started to raise her arm to point at the cabinet, forgetting that if she moved the pain would sear through her side. She nearly fell over, eyes rolling in her head, and then Alicia was there, warm skin and strong arms around her, pressing her shoulder under Elyza's armpit. Her hair tumbled across Elyza's bare arm, soft and sweet-smelling.

"Hey now, okay, you're okay." Alicia stammered. "Let's get you to the couch." 

Elyza groaned. "The couch doesn't have any cushions."

"Alright asshole, the floor then." How Elyza could still push her buttons while bleeding and half unconscious was somehow unremarkable.

Alicia walked her slowly toward the dim living room, lowering her onto the bed of pillows. Elyza closed her eyes.

Alicia resisted the urge to kiss her unsuspecting lips.

"Alright, so, using your words, which cabinet?" Elyza cracked her eyelids open and managed to execute the perfect eyeroll. But she told her. Alicia grabbed the kit, and an icepack from the freezer, back in record time before the blonde could say "Thanks."

"Okay, then." Alicia sighed, readying herself for more blood. "Do you, um, do you..." Her voice trailed off, preoccupied with imagining what she was about to say. "Would you mind taking off your shirt?"

Elyza raised her eyebrows, and a slow, sultry smile lifted her pretty lips. "Why, I wouldn't mind at all."

Alicia blushed furiously in the low light.

"You might have to help me take it off, seeing as I'm injured and all." Her voice was low.

Alicia nearly choked. "Of course."

She helped Elyza sit up, ignoring how her skin tingled when it made contact with Elyza's. 

She nearly averted her eyes when she removed Elyza's shirt over her arms- Elyza's entire upper body should be illegal, she decided. Her stomach was tight and exposed, the blood covering her side only serving to send thrills down Alicia's spine, thinking about the blonde fighting. Alicia crushed the gauze in her hand with an iron grip.

Elyza lay back, the curve of her breasts illuminated in the light of the silent TV, the slope of the muscles in her stomach rising and falling gently with her shallow breaths.

Alicia inhaled deeply, and let her fingers flutter over Elyza's skin to the wound, wiping up the fresh dark blood with some gauze. Elyza sucked air through her teeth. Alicia grimaced, wishing she could take the pain away.

When the blood was cleaned off, Alicia hovered her fingers over the gash. It didn't look so bad. It was short, but deep, and the edges of the cut weren't ragged. Given some time, it would heal well.

"Alright. Elyza?"

"Hmmm."

"I have to check on your rib to see if it's badly broken. That means I need to press slightly." Alicia watched Elyza's peaceful face.

"It's fine, Alicia." Elyza said drowsily. She seemed nearly asleep. "I trust you."

It was then that Alicia finally melted. 

Her guard broke down like feathers falling to the earth, softly and quietly. Her stomach dropped to her toes, and she felt her shoulders go light, and her head dizzy. She moved her hand to cup Elyza's cheek, her eyes full of pride and want, and her fingertips brushed Elyza's jaw, thumb stroking her chin. 

Elyza slowly opened her eyes to see Alicia kneeling beside her, bending over her face, gazing at her, _worshipping_ her- and then Alicia yanked back, reverting into herself.

Then stars exploded behind Elyza's eyes as fingers gently pressed down on her abdomen, and she let loose a loud groan, attempting to curl away from Alicia's hands. The fingers fluttered away.

Alicia lingered, waiting for Elyza's face to unclench. She brushed her fingers against Elyza's shoulder, giving in to desire when the blonde wasn't looking.

"So what is it, Doc?" 

Alicia grinned and put her hands in her lap as Elyza rolled back toward her tenderly, her grin laced with tension.

"You'll live." Alicia managed a flash of a smile. 

"Thanks, Doc."

Alicia nodded. "Do you want to stay here for the night?"

"Yeah. I don't think I'll be able to move for a while."

"Alright, then I'll just finish your wrapping and you'll be good to go. Technically. Try not to breath deeply, or lift your arms."

Elyza sat up carefully and Alicia wove her arms around the blonde, circling the gauze around her torso. 

Alicia recited every chemical formula she could remember instead of thinking about how her face leaned in so close, how Elyza's skin was hot with stress, how Elyza wasn't moving her hooded eyes from her lips...

"All done." Alicia placed the ice pack over the gauze and stood up quickly. "You comfy?"

"Perfect," came the reply when Elyza lay back down. 

"Well then, I'll see you in the morning."

"Okay."

Alicia moved slowly to her bedroom, and was just about to turn the corner when,

"Alicia?"

She paused, looked back. "Yeah?" 

"Thank you." Elyza said quietly, a smile playing on her lips.

A smile lit up Alicia's face, crinkling her eyes- the first real one Elyza had seen.

"You're welcome."

And Alicia disappeared around the corner.

* * *

"Hey, there's something I have to tell you." Elyza called from the kitchen.

Alicia stomach flipped and she groaned, rolling out from under the inviting sheets. She shuffled into the kitchen, her nightshirt wrinkled and hair mussed.

In Elyza's eyes, she was glowing.

It had been a total of seven hours since their loaded evening, and Alicia hadn't slept for a single minute. Everything about last night... it had been unexpected. It made her toss and turn, the way Elyza had crept under her guard.

But Alicia couldn't forget the feeling of letting her walls down- it was like taking flight, like leaving the whole world behind, like the weight lifting off her chest entirely and completely.

She couldn't risk attachments like that. Especially when that attachment was to a zombie slayer who regularly went out and risked her life. Last night was the perfect example- Elyza was always in danger. 

Elyza _herself_ was dangerous.

Elyza set the cereal bowls on the table, filled with canned chili, and briefly allowed herself to imagine what it would be like to wake up next to Alicia, sleep-filled kisses and soft touches, the morning light caressing Alicia's cheeks and collarbones.

"Chili for breakfast?" Alicia whined.

"Home-made, straight from the heart." Elyza teased.

"I'm aware your microwave is fully functional."

"You know what..." Elyza trailed off mumbling as they both sat down and started eating.

Alicia looked up, her eyes hooded with sleep, their green muted in the shaded kitchen. "You wanted to tell me something?"

"Oh, right." Elyza finished chewing, and the launched into her rehearsed speech.

"So basically, I consider myself some kind of reverse-mercenary; I go out and clean up the Walkers that the forces haven't finished up."

"Right." Alicia murmured. Elyza mock-glared at the interruption. "Sorry," Alicia squeaked, a smile playing on her lips. Her gorgeous lips.

" _Anyway_ , my usual system has been moving house to house and doing rounds in the neighborhoods. I usually move every week or so."

Alicia looked up. Here was the dangerous part.

Elyza met her eyes before looking down at her spoon. "I waited a little longer to move this time since I have some precious cargo in tow." She flicked her eyes up, meeting Alicia's gaze. "I was wondering whether you would like to come with me."

Alicia stilled, nerves twisting her stomach into knots. "When do you leave?"

"Today."

"Oh well, thanks for the short-fucking-notice." All the nerves and emotions and nausea at confronting those feelings suddenly turned to annoyance. She wanted to leave? Now? Alicia got up to rinse her dishes.

"Hey! I was trying to respect your space." Elyza protested. "I wasn't sure what you thought of me, but after last night..." 

Alicia froze.

"I wasn't sure what to think, honestly, and I knew asking you to come with me was a big thing, so I wanted to give it more time but we should really move soon..." Elyza was rambling now. 

Alicia began breathing again. No confrontation yet. She turned, her hands in the sink. "Do you want me to come?" For once, Alicia's face remained unreadable.

"I..." Elyza stalled.

A huge  _ **thump**_ sounded from above their heads, followed by something scattering across the ceiling.

"The fuck..." Elyza muttered, looking up.

"Where did that come from?" 

"Sounds like the attic."

"Did you check the attic before you moved in?" Fear made Alicia's voice high.

"I, of course, I," Elyza flitted between looking at the ceiling and Alicia, before she realized Alicia was looking at her with fear and a brazen challenge in her eyes. "Of course I checked the fucking attic, I'm not a complete idiot."

"Well then what the hell is up there?"

"You think I know?" Elyza grabbed a broomstick -the other arm pressed protectively to her side- ready to bang on the ceiling. "Probably a raccoon." 

"Wait!" Alicia grabbed her bicep, stopping the broom handle just before it hit the drywall. Considering the way Elyza's arm flexed under her hand, it probably would have went _through_ the ceiling. "We live in a deadzone. Nothing exists out here."

Elyza's heart fluttered. _We live_. That implies they live  _together,_ right?

"Not even a raccoon should be alive."

Elyza paused, snapping back to reality.

"I'll go check the attic, then."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoiler alert it's lexa in the attic #commanderraccooneyes
> 
> i wish
> 
> hope you guys are enjoying the dynamic between lexark :) i've been aiming for descriptions and scenes/scene breaks the same way FTWD does it, instead of the 100, which is more angsty
> 
> Im a slut for plot and small touches. Should I make this into smut? It was originally just supposed to be the story of their first kiss.
> 
> whoops i'm on the third chapter
> 
> Let me know what you think!! Do you want smut??!!
> 
>  
> 
> EDIT: I added a new scene!


	4. How To Pick Up Chicks: Be a Perfect Shot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls get a reprieve from being dramatic all the time when Alicia discovers a new talent

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank the thesaurus for encouraging and helping me overcome my overused vocabulary.  
> (side note: the style may change a teensy bit from chapter to chapter because I'm experimenting with voice and wording, trying to find what works best for what i see in my head)  
> it took longer than i wanted to get this chapter written, but i saw a painting of lexa and p much cried for three days, so really, thank you for the kudos and the comments, they mean the world to me right now. I'm used to only one or two people reading my stuff, and i used to barely write, but i've been feeling so inspired lately and the comments really help, so if you would like to tell me something, I would lovveeee to hear it

"Elyza, please stop!" 

Stalking out of the kitchen and to the table, the blonde shook off Alicia's grip and slipped on her leather jacket, flipping her hair over the collar. 

"Please, you're not healed! You shouldn't even be using your arm! Elyza!" Alicia fluttered around in alarm as Elyza picked up and examined her shotgun, making sure the safety was on. She looked up, meeting desperate green eyes. 

Alicia's voice lowered, hoping to break through Elyza's stubborn head. "I don't want you to get hurt."

Elyza reached for her thigh strap holster and .45 pistol from the table, leaning the shotgun against the wall. "And I can't _not_ see what's up there, Alicia." She pointed out as she buckled the straps. 

"But-"

"Alicia."

The brunette looked up, her face a storm of emotion. She watched, her mouth falling into a small "o" as Elyza lifted her shirt, exposing the side of her injury. She'd taken off the gauze, and the soft morning light revealed a closed wound surrounded by transparent yellow and green bruising. 

"See?" Elyza said, dropping her shirt. "I'm fine." She began donning her machete harness.

"What? How-"

"Later, honey. We've got an attic to deal with." 

"Excuse me? _Honey?_ Elyza, how the hell did you heal so fast- hey, slow down!" Elyza had sheathed her gigantic knife and was moving down the hall now.

Alicia grabbed the shotgun and followed, pestering the whole way. "How did you get better so fast? Answer me! Yellow bruises don't appear until the final stages of healing and last night your bruises were so fresh they weren't even showing yet-"

"Alicia!" Elyza reached the end of the hallway, right next to the bathroom, and whirled around, her face set in stone. "I am going up there whether you like it or not," She backed a shocked Alicia against the bathroom door, seemingly much taller than her usual 5'5, "because between the two of us, I'm the one who has the training, I'm the one who can keep you safe, I'm the one who can _fire a gun_!" With that, she took the shotgun out of Alicia's hands and turned away.

Alicia was silent. She could feel the fear and rage and concern simmering in the knot in her throat, bottled up by the surprise at Elyza's reaction.

Elyza was focused elsewhere, pulling on a string connected to a door in the ceiling that Alicia had failed to notice in the four days she'd been living here. The trapdoor groaned open, releasing a dank smell that made Elyza cover her nose with her hand. She glanced back, and caught the look on Alicia's face.

Elyza's eyes immediately softened, and she stepped toward Alicia carefully. "I'm sorry." She said. Alicia resolutely stared at the ground- until a roughened hand cupped her cheek and pulled her chin upwards, bringing green and blue to mingle amidst the terrible smell and broiling emotions. 

"I'm sorry, Alicia, I didn't mean to be harsh with you. It's just-" Elyza huffed out a sigh "I get protective easily. I want to keep you safe. So if that means scoping out a potentially dangerous attic with injured ribs, I'll do it. It's practically my duty."

Her baby blues switched back and forth, studying Alicia, who was cold one moment and molten emeralds the next. Alicia nodded imperceptibly, just enough to let Elyza know she understood. They both exhaled slowly, and Alicia could feel the anger dissapating- the fear was only growing.

"Let me go with you." She whispered.

Elyza dropped her hand, and she took a long moment to consider. She glanced between Alicia and her pistol a few times before deciding.

"Okay, let me give you a quick lesson." She pushed the trapdoor closed and took Alicia's elbow so they were both facing the wall covered in photos that marked the end of the hallway. 

"Stand like this," Elyza demonstrated. "Which is your dominant side?" 

"Right."

"Okay, I'm a leftie, so do the opposite of me." She gave Alicia a little push to stand in front of her. "So put your right foot forward, hips angled diagonal-" She placed firm hands on Alicia's hips, fingers digging into the soft skin at the separation of Alicia's nightshirt and pants, directing her hips where she wanted. She had no idea the effect her hands had on the brunette in front of her.

"-now pretend to hold a gun, how you think you would hold one." 

Alicia put her arms up, feeling a bit silly.

"Hey, that's not bad, all you have to do is lower this hand, and move your finger-" Elyza made each individual adjustment to her liking under the absorbing stare of the brunette. 

"Okay." Elyza unholstered the gun, examining it despite not needing to; she was just stalling putting a dangerous weapon into untrained hands. "Okay, so this is a .45 Smith & Wesson double-action, semi-automatic. It packs a bigger punch, for a beginner especially. So expect some kickback."

Alicia wavered at the unknown words. "And double-action semi-automatic means..."

"Double-action means when you pull the trigger, the bullet is ready to fire, and semi-automatic means only one round is fired at a time, but you don't have to reload every time you fire. An automatic gun would be like a machine gun."

Elyza took up her own stance next to Alicia in the cramped hallway, pistol barrel facing the ground. "Alright, I'm going to fire the gun now, so you can see how it reacts. Go ahead and cover your ears."

Alicia put her palms over her ears and watched intently, memorizing as Elyza raised her arms towards the wall, pistol nestled comfortable in her hands. One hand was cupping the bottom, while the other had a firm grip around the back, her index finger straight along the barrel of the gun.

Elyza exhaled, and moved her finger to the trigger, and squeezed.

BANG!

The gun had kicked in Elyza's hand, but she'd clearly been trained to expect it. She looked down at the hole in the wall, directly between the inch of space between two photographs- Alicia gaped. Elyza was a crack shot.

Elyza grinned at Alicia's expression. "You ready to try?"

"Um..." Alicia pressed her full lips together. 

Elyza paused, waiting for the next sign of hesitancy. 

"Like hell am I going to stay down here."

Elyza grinned. "Okay then. Take your stance." 

Alicia did. Elyza turned on the safety of the gun, walking around Alicia in circles, checking her for accuracy. She'd be lying if she didn't also check her out- that was when she knew she had the perfect opportunity to have a little fun. A little danger. 

She walked up behind Alicia, weaving her hand forward to rest it on the brunette's leg. Alicia noticed immediately how high the hand was on her thigh.

"Spread your legs." Elyza whispered into her hair.

Alicia's mouth went dry.

"Spread your legs, honey." Elyza tapped her thigh slowly. "You need a wider stance." And she backed off, a mischievous smile spreading across her face. 

It was then that Alicia knew she was royally fucked. So much for the convincing argument of "no risky attachments to a dangerous blonde."

Elyza continued talking about how to grip the gun, how to make sure her hand didn't get cut by the kickback of the hammer, how to squeeze -not pull- the trigger, how to maintain relaxation and remain firm. Alicia heard it, she swore she did, but she couldn't stop thinking about the hand that brushed her thigh, tapping, wandering, gripping her hips-

Alicia pressed it all away with a deep sigh. 

"Are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

"Okay. Don't move." Elyza placed the pistol between Alicia's raised hands. She made some last adjustments, then stepped behind the brunette. 

"Turn the safety off."

Alicia popped the switch. The gun was ready to fire now. Alicia was ready, too. 

Hot hands returned to her waist, grounding her, providing support. 

Elyza's lips were next to her ear again. 

Alicia exhaled, sighted down the barrel.

"Relax..." Elyza whispered, breath tickling her ear. 

Alicia moved her finger.

_BANG._

The gun jumped in her hand, sending vibrations all the way to her shoulder. Thankfully, she didn't drop it. Alicia began breathing normally again, moving the switch back to safety position. 

"Alicia..." Elyza was staring at the wall.

"What?"

"Where's the hole?"

"What do you mean, where's the hole?"

"Where's the damn bullet hole, Alicia? I don't see it." They both approached the wall, scanning all over. There was no hole in sight, just Elyza's centered shot between the frames...

"Alicia."

She looked down from the corner she was peering at. "What?" She noticed where Elyza was staring. "That's _your_ bullet hole, not mine."

"No, Alicia. Look." She pointed. 

Alicia came closer and squinted, probing the hole with her finger- her eyes widened, and she whipped back to Elyza's equally stunned face. 

"There are two bullets in there."

"I know."

"I shot exactly where you shot."

"I know."

"I was dead-center?"

"Yes!" 

"Oh my god!"

"Did you _try_ to do that?"

"No! I mean, I was aiming for it but I wasn't expecting to make that-"

"Do it again!"

They hurried back down the hall and Alicia lined up the shot again, much quicker this time. 

"Choose my target, Elyza."

She tapped her chin, thinking. "Center right frame, the person holding the trophy. Shoot the trophy."

BANG. Glass tinkled to the floor. Elyza's feet pattered down the hall.

"Holy shit!" 

"Did I do it?"

"Yeah! You went right through the fucking trophy!"

"Shit! Get back here."

Elyza ran back, already rattling off a new target. "The flower photo in the corner, hit the center-"

BANG. More glass. Ears ringing. Elyza checking.

"Fuck, Alicia!"

Alicia laughed out loud. Clicked the safety on.

"Have you ever fired a gun before?" Elyza was bouncing toward her now, her face alight with wonder and awe.

"No! I mean, I played darts as a kid and that kind of shit, but this is new to me." She looked down at her stinging hand. 

"You're the best shot I've ever seen, honey." Elyza's eyes were as bright as the sky.

"I've no idea how, I just centered the shot and exhaled-"

"Here, give me the gun."

Alicia handed it over, and Elyza took up her position, quickly firing off three times in a row. 

BANG. BANG. BANG.

They both went to check the wall.

Elyza was only a few centimeters off each of Alicia's shots: the original bullet hole, the trophy, and the flower.

"Damn..." Elyza whispered.

Alicia suddenly felt bashful- here she was, no training whatsoever, showing up this fierce girl who was clearly her better on most accounts?

"You're amazing." Elyza beamed. "With more training, you'd probably be the best alive, considering everyone who's dead. I can't believe this! You're so good!" She grabbed Alicia's shoulder and shook it, rustling a smile out of the brunette. A real, toothy, eyes-crinkled, cheeks-dimpled smile.

"You're still better at fighting." Alicia said through her grin.

"Maybe, but with you on my side? Shit, nothing would be able to stop us." She stared off, imagining the two of them busting ass and taking names. 

Alicia kept smiling. 

"Come on, let's reload and you can change out of your PJ's. Then we'll go up there." She gestured towards the attic.

"Together?"

"Together."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fuck thinking about Alicia being a perfect shot doEs ThInGs tO ME. 
> 
> Also, I post a lot about this fic on tumblr so if you want updates and teasers and stuff you should check me out! 
> 
> I really love writing this for you guys! I seriously adore the comments, and I am definitely taking suggestions, which you will see in the next chapter! (Hopefully up by tonight!)  
> Hope you're in for the long run, because I have some plans, which just keep growing. And I've been obsessively analyzing my writing so it will keep improving!


	5. How To Pick Up Chicks: Give Her A Bunch Of Meaningful Gifts (A Dog Is A Good Option)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hmmm I wonder what could be in the attic? ??? ? ??? ? ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://lexa-lives-in-us.tumblr.com/post/140940550358/asdotnet-reblog-do-not-repost-fear-the-walking  
> ^basically the outfit insp.

Elyza dug around in the cardboard boxes scattered around her room, muttering excitedly about some surprise for Alicia. All of the boxes were dinged and ripped, but their labels were clearly marked in sharpie: _drawing_ , _clothes_ , _weapons_ , and _miscellaneous_. After riffling through _clothes_ and  _weapons_ , Elyza pulled what she was looking for- an extra holster.

The ballistic nylon and plastic belt was detailed to look like leather, two-toned browns carving out detailed spirals and tribal-looking flowers. The belt buckle was made of thick, shining silver, and the holster hung from the hip, two buckle straps meant to encircle a leg hanging limp. Elyza's fingers brushed gently over the waterproof material, tracing the designs and patterns reverently.

On the inside of the holster was stamped J.L. 

Elyza sat heavily on her bed, the belt still in her hands, memories weighing down her head. This belt was special. 

But Alicia didn't have to know how special. She didn't need that pressure, that expectation, that heavy weight of significance that the belt had for Elyza. She just wanted Alicia to have a holster, a gift, from a... friend?

Elyza quickly decided that now wasn't the time get caught up in her own head- they had better things to do. Like investigating the attic. She put the Smith & Wesson in in the holster.

"Elyza?" A knock came from the doorway, and Elyza looked up to see Alicia had changed into black jeans and a gray tank top, dark curls pulled to one shoulder.

"You okay?" She'd seen the furrow in Elyza's brows- she looked so cute when she was worried. 

"Yeah!" Elyza bluffed. "Absolutely. In fact, I've got something for you. Two 'somethings', actually."

"Ooo, what is it?" Alicia raised her eyebrows, unexpected excitement taking hold. Elyza patted the bed next to her, and the brunette sat down, smelling like vanilla and mint and some fruity-flowery scent that Elyza couldn't pinpoint.

Elyza took a deep breath, the excitement getting to her too. She held out the holster belt. "I wanted you to have this."

Alicia's face lit up like the sun. "Oh, Elyza, it's beautiful! Oh, you didn't have to do this!" She shone, and Elyza decided right then and there she would do anything on the earth to see that look as often as possible.

"Well, yes I did. We discovered something amazing today! You're a perfect shot." Elyza poked her in the ribs, and Alicia laughed, sounding like a cool breeze on a summer day _(line credit: lockerghost)._

Elyza ducked down off the bed and into her boxes again, hearing the bed creak as Alicia stood up behind her. She continued, "And a perfect shot," she found what she was looking for and rose up, "deserves a perfect look." She turned around, and was greeted with the most attractive sight she'd ever seen.

Alicia had buckled the belt low on her hips, accentuating the curve of her ass and the slope of her waist, the belt gleaming brightly against her dark pants. Alicia beamed.

Elyza's chest heaved and she dropped her hands, time stopping as the emotion of seeing her belt on this beautiful girl came crashing over her for a moment. 

She nearly lost herself in staring at the view in front of her until Alicia pointed out the item in her hands: "What's that?"

"Oh." Elyza shook her head. "It's your second 'something'." She held it up- it was a maroon vest, tribal flower patterns embroidered in beige thread over the back.

Alicia's eyes went wide. Elyza smiled and walked toward her, slipping it over her arms, admiring the way it fit snugly on the brunette's shoulders. She tugged on the neck, straightening an already-straight collar. 

Alicia thought she saw tears fill the sky-blue eyes mere inches from her own. But then Elyza was blinking and turning away, throwing items back into boxes. Alicia turned to a mirror on Elyza's back wall, deciding that if the blonde wanted stay quiet about what she was feeling, she had no business nosing around. She busied herself by admiring the flowers on the back of her beautiful new vest.

"This is so stunning, Elyza. I can't believe you would give this to me."

Elyza, clearly fighting her internal self, glanced at Alicia in the mirror. "Like I said, a perfect shot-"

"Needs a perfect look." Alicia finished. She faced Elyza and walked towards her, capturing the blonde with her grateful gaze. "I can't think of anything more perfect than this." A smile graced her lips. "Truly, thank you."

And before Elyza could deliver a sassy remark to break the spell, Alicia wrapped her arms around the tattooed blonde in a hug, squeezing her tightly and quickly before letting go. 

Alicia walked to the doorway, guessing correctly that Elyza would want a minute to compose herself.

"I'll meet you at the attic." And then she disappeared, leaving Elyza to collapse onto the bed and let the tears flow down her smiling face. 

* * *

 

The trapdoor moaned its protests as Alicia yanked on the string, opening its dark, smelly maw. She covered her mouth in disgust, letting out an "Eugh!"

Elyza chuckled behind her. 

Alicia turned and grinned, and silently they pulled down the ladder attached to the door, its joints creaking. Dreading what was about to come, the two climbed up, brushing spiderwebs off their shoulders as they stood up in the dusty room above the house.

Two-by-fours were bridged along the planks of the floor, leading around the spacious, and gross, room. Years of storage by previous families had turned to rot and mold- stuff like toys and pictures screamed 'Save me!' as fungi slowly consumed their fun colors and bright visage. 

The entire room was silent.

"Where did you look last time?" Alicia whispered.

Elyza shrugged, "Everywhere I could reach, really."

"Then let's look where we can't reach, yeah?"

Elyza rolled her eyes at the lack of logic. "Yeah."

They started off on the bridge of two-by-fours, focusing on nooks and crannies covered by large objects, like tables and posters. Light filtered in from the cracked roof shingles, bathing small areas in silver, dust-mote filled mid-day lighting.

After what felt like twenty minutes of searching, and admittedly getting distracted by old relics, Alicia made an excited noise and motioned Elyza over. The blonde precariously tiptoed over, standing on only the most solid-looking planks. "What is it?" She said when she reached Alicia.

"Shh!" Alicia raised her eyebrows, then pointed to her ear. _Listen._

Elyza closed her eyes and focused... a soft whining became apparent. Elyza looked at Alicia in confusion-  _that's definitely not a zombie._

In front of them was a giant poster of "Rebel Without A Cause", James Dean in a red jacket plastered over the front. The whining came from behind it, as best Elyza could tell.

A few communicative gestures later and Alicia was slicing through the paper gently with Elyza's machete while Elyza had her backup single-action Colt Revolver aimed at the poster.

Under the work of the machete, the poster fell in two and revealed something neither of them expected: a door.

"What the fuck..." Both of them whispered, looking at each other, then back at the aged door. With a what-else-can-we-do shrug Alicia reached for the knob, and Elyza nervously readjusted her grip on her Revolver.

The stench was the first thing that hit them when the door swung open. The second was the bark.

A _dog?_

Light panting sounds emanated from the darkness, and Alicia fumbled in her new belt for the flashlight she'd grabbed, clicking it on to reveal one of the most awful things she's ever seen.

There was a dog, lying on the floor, surrounded in shit and food pellets. Its tail wagged feebly.

"Oh my god!" Alicia rushed forward, despite the smell.

"Wait!" Elyza yelped. "Could be..." But the word _'dangerous'_ trailed off when she saw the dog straining forward to lick Alicia's careful hand. 

"Oh, Elyza, who would _do_ this?" Was Alicia crying? She sounded choked up.

Elyza entered the room and looked around, holstering her Revolver and taking out her own light. There was a dog bed in the corner. A water bowl next to it. A torn food bag lay across the floor- that must have been what fell and scattered earlier that day. At least it wasn't starving- just for attention.

But what caught Elyza's attention was the photo nailed to the otherwise bare walls- a smiling family, all huddled around the dog. Two young kids. It hit her straight in the heart.

The dog was crying now, whining its relief at human contact.

"They must have locked the dog up to protect it," Elyza guessed. "Couldn't bear to subject it to the dangerous world." At least, this is what she told Alicia. She could think of five other reasons parents trying to survive an apocalypse might leave a dog behind. But to lock it up like this? It certainly was cruel.

The whole world was just cruel. That's how things always played out.

Elyza came to examine the dog, stepping around puddles and fecal matter. It looked like a golden retriever- powerful bones, but the neglect showed through. Elyza didn't want to think about the possible days it had spent up here before she'd arrived. 

Alicia was crying. The dog could barely stand. Days in a dark room could do that to you. _God_.

"Alright, buddy, let's go." Elyza took off her jacket and handed it to the teary Alicia, picking up the weak dog in her arms, stepping carefully towards the exit.

"We've got you now, buddy." Elyza whispered into the smelly fur. Huge brown eyes blinked up at her, and its mouth fell open, tongue lolling, panting- smiling.

"We've got you now."

* * *

 

The first thing they did was run a bath. The poor thing's gold-red fur was matted with it's own waste, and neither of the two girls smelled any better. 

Well, Alicia's hair still smelled good, but Elyza wasn't really supposed to notice that.

The dog was such a pathetic little thing despite its size, shivering and blinking furiously in the daylight, cowering its head from the window. Poor Alicia couldn't stop sniffling. To be honest, neither could Elyza.

She ran the bathwater at a cool temperature, knowing with that thick coat that heat exhaustion was a likely option. While the bath filled the two girls showered love over the young pup, who licked their faces generously and whined continuously. Elyza couldn't help but notice the way Alicia's face glowed after she cried.

When they placed the dog in the bathwater, it looked shocked for a moment, brown puppy eyes staring at them as if they had each personally betrayed him.

They laughed guiltily, and barely a second later, Alicia was taking her belt and pants off her miles-long legs and climbing in the water with the dog.

"Come on!" Alicia and the dog looked at Elyza, waiting. Elyza balked, surprised at Alicia so suddenly stripping in front of her eyes, but then she let it go, took off her own pants, and stepped into the water.

* * *

 

Alicia had surprised herself too, but she was quickly realizing there was nothing she wouldn't do for this dog. 

Including stripping off to her panties in front of a hot blonde. At least they weren't lacy.

But Alicia attempted to play off the impulsive moment by focusing entirely on scrubbing the dog clean, and it worked. Elyza didn't (verbally) acknowledge the sexual tension in the air.

But both of them were very, _very_ aware of the other. 

The dog was a great distraction, jumping around playfully in the foaming suds, snapping at the bubbles he was kicking up. Elyza did confirm it was a 'he'. Both girls were splashing each other too, and giggling away at this maniacal dork of a dog.

He was getting cleaner, and happier, every passing second, and soon golden fur was fully revealed among the dirty water.

When Alicia opened the spout and drained the water, she didn't realize turning on the shower head to rinse the dog would get them all soaking wet. But the water sprayed out of the nozzle and doused them all, causing Elyza to gasp and smile, laughing when she saw the same expression on Alicia's face. The dog leapt at the falling droplets, biting at them, and Alicia laughed, exclaiming, "He loves it! He's like a fish!"

"That's it!" 

Alicia looked up at Elyza's words, puzzled.

"That's what we'll call him!"

"Fish?"

"Yeah! It's hilarious!"

"Call our dog _Fish_?"

The use of 'our dog' wasn't lost on Elyza, but she nodded emphatically. "Yeah, I mean, look at him."

Alicia looked down at the carefree goldie frolicking in the water, his ordeal already forgotten. "Alright," She said slowly, warming to the idea. "Fish it is."

"You hear that, buddy?" Elyza bent down and grabbed his face, rubbing his ears and talking excitedly. "Your new name is Fish!"

Fish barked at the exhilaration in her voice.

"Yeah, alright, Fish, good boy!"

* * *

 

Alicia dug around for a hairdryer, still dripping wet. Elyza was moving Fish from the bathtub to the floor mat. Thankfully, the dog's eyes had adjusted to the sunlight coming in from the window as Elyza rubbed him down with a spare towel.

"Found it!" She held up the dryer triumphantly and plugged it in, waiting for Elyza to finish. 

The loud whine of the dryer frightened Fish a bit, and cut out any possibility of conversation between the two girls, so they stuck to focusing on getting Fish dry as soon as possible. Working together with another towel and the hairdryer, the job went by quickly. 

Soon they all lay exhausted on the floor, Fish completely passed out- but dry. Elyza and Alicia leaned back against the bathroom wall, eyes closed, bare legs splayed out, shirts and hair still dripping. 

"Hey, how's your ribs?" Alicia drawled, careful to hide her concern behind a mask of exhaustion.

"Ah, they're fine." Came the reply.

"Can I see?"

"If you must." 

Alicia could hear the hint of humor in her voice, so she closed the few feet between them and watched as Elyza lifted her tank once more. The cut was closed still, thankfully, and the bruises were faint. Alicia's fingers traced over the scab.

Elyza peered at the top of her head through half-closed eyes, wondering what the interest was- of course, she shouldn't be complaining. They were together, wet, sitting in their panties and tank tops, and Alicia was asking to look at her abs. The world was currently perfect.

But the precedent had been set, by Alicia, that this situation wasn't sexual. At least, it wouldn't be until Alicia made a move.

At that exact moment, Alicia realized what she was doing. She was examining a partially naked Elyza in a wet tank top and and her legs were tanned and muscled beneath her and then Alicia realized her panties weren't just wet from the bath.

She gulped. "So how did you heal so fast?" She kept her eyes trained on the scab.

"No more questions, Alicia. Leave it be, for now."

Alicia nodded, fingers still brushing feather-light over the scab, and then the scar that crossed the other girls' abdomen, and then the spoked-circle tattoo at her hip. She was dangerously close to the hem of Elyza's white panties, fingers still drawing mindless patterns against the blonde's wet skin.

Elyza was dangerously close to grabbing Alicia's face and kissing her until she couldn't breathe. 

"Elyza?"

A strained "Yes?" was her reply.

"What does your tattoo mean?"

Elyza looked down and practically flooded her panties when she saw Alicia's huge eyes looking up innocently at her, fingertips casually tracing over the black ink on her hip bone.

Her voice came out a bit strangled, trying to reel in the tantalizing urge to kiss Alicia's full pink lips. "It was something that I saw once, in a dream, actually. A really detailed dream. There was this girl- she was the general of the Army. My dad was in the Army. But this girl wore that design on her forehead, some kind of stamp thing." Elyza shrugged, never having realized how stupid it sounded because this was the first time she'd said it out loud. This infuriatingly adorable brunette seemed to wrest it out of her. 

"It just reminded me of power. It was a sign. A sign of command. It really resonated with me." She shrugged again. "So I got it tattooed when- well, I got it tattooed." _When_  could be left for another time. Right now Alicia was staring at her with unmistakable hunger in her eyes.

"This girl," Alicia pondered, her voice sweet. "Was she pretty?"

Elyza's heart was pounding in her stomach. "Not as pretty as you."

And then Alicia was closing the space between them and crashing her lips against Elyza's, wet skin sliding against wet skin, Alicia's lips like crushed velvet on Elyza's mouth. Alicia tilted her head, deepening the kiss, and then she's swiping her tongue at Elyza's bottom lip, asking for permission and Elyza is eager to give it in every possible way. 

Alicia clambered onto her lap, grinding down on Elyza's bare thighs in her black panties and Elyza's practically coming already. Alicia has definitely done this before. The room smells like wet dog and the source is sleeping right next to them but all they can see, hear, think is their bodies pressing together, no room for air or space between them.

Alicia's hands wind into Elyza's soft blonde hair, her tongue pushing against Elyza's own and the kiss turns heady, breathy, long and sleepy and warm and all-consuming.

Eventually Elyza breaks the kiss with a gentle push, looking deep into hooded green eyes as she puts her hands on Alicia's teasing hips, pulling her up to stand.

"There's a perfectly good bed down the hall."

The way Alicia bites her lip is answer enough.

They somehow make their way to Elyza's room without falling over one another, kissing more determinedly every time their lips reunite. Then Alicia is pulling off Elyza's tank in one motion and her own in the next, holding Elyza's waist against her own, moaning at the feel of their wet, hot skin meeting in the cool air.

Elyza let Alicia set the pace when the back of her knees hits the bed and she tumbles down, Alicia straddling her middle, looking like a goddess in her bra, skin gleaming with droplets of water.

"Are you sure?" Elyza manages to gasp out. 

"Yes." Alicia whispers, eyes brimming with want, with _need_.

And then those fingers are all over Elyza's body and nothing Elyza has ever felt will compare to the way they dance across her skin. Alicia drops her head into Elyza's neck, her breath brushing against her shoulder and her center grinding into Elyza's hips, eliciting a moan from the blonde's delicious lips.

She gets a nip at her shoulder and then Elyza is unclasping the brunette's bra and her sports bra is coming off and then the inexplicable feeling of Alicia's tongue on her nipples is making her cry out in pleasure, that wicked tongue circling the hard buds, hands palming her breasts. 

Elyza's hands reach the hem of soft black panties, dipping underneath to stoke the smooth skin of her ass, perked up in the air as Alicia sucks in her neck, raising hickeys as she travels downwards, looking up as she bites, licks, nips her way to white cotton, and then she's got Elyza's legs in both hands and she's licking her inner thighs like it holds the secret to paradise.

Elyza is already so close. She can barely hold back when Alicia's tongue laps at her center over her panties. She moans, begs, and then her panties are off and Alicia's hot breath is caressing her core and her tongue is moving in incessant circles around her clit, she's got Elyza in a breathless moaning mess. 

That's before she slips two slim fingers into her wet, slick heat.

Elyza's hips buck and Alicia massages her walls, coaxing her with her tongue and fingers. By now, it's a matter of just how long Elyza can make this last. And with Alicia's fingers hitting every spot inside her, her tongue lapping and circling, moaning vibrations into her center like she might come herself, it won't be long. Alicia reaches her other hand up and cups a breast, tweaking and rolling the nipple between her fingers. 

But it's her eyes that get Elyza. It's her green eyes that make her come with a scream, bucking and riding her face as her orgasm overtakes her, washing over her body in waves, causing her to shake, to vibrate entirely from pleasure. Alicia's fingers fuck her all the way through it.

It's only when Elyza starts breathing more often than moaning that she slows, pulling her fingers out and sucking them clean, staring at Elyza, sweaty and smiling on the bed.

Elyza doesn't waste another second, and she grabs the brunette's hips, pulling her down onto the bed, yanking off her pretty black panties as soon as she possibly can. 

Alicia's chin is still wet and shining, and Elyza licks it all up in a sloppy kiss, not bothering with cleanliness. She just came so hard she probably saw the key to the universe- if she could remember it. If she did, she'd get it tattooed. 

Alicia is soaking wet under her exploring fingers, and she circles the girl's clit a few times, giving more pressure as her gasps increase. With a glance up she begins sucking on a pink puckered nipple, palming at the other breast with the hand not about to be deep inside Alicia's center.

Elyza circles a few more times and then she plunges one finger inside her drenched core, reveling in the moan that escapes Alicia's perfect lips. She pumps her finger in and out, curling against that extraordinary spot, massaging, working. Her palm rubs on her clit. 

Watching Alicia's face, she adds another finger to her ministrations, and Alicia is puddy under her hands, a writhing, moaning, sweating mess. Beautiful. Her eyes fly open wide when Elyza moves to suck where she wants it most- right on her clit. Elyza laps and sucks, moaning against her clit, watching the brunette lose her mind above her, winding her hands in her hair, crying out, gasping. Yelling her name.

When Elyza begins thrusting harder and faster, Alicia lets go and comes hard, unexpectedly, clenching and unclenching wildly around the fingers inside her as the waves hit her, a never ending wail tearing from her throat. Elyza gazes in awe at the beauty collapsing on the bed in front of her.

Alicia giggles when Elyza slumps down next to her, and she wraps an arm around the blonde's middle, reaching to clasp their fingers together. There's a sleepy grin on her face that she can't wipe off as the two catch their breath, amazed at what just happened. What the other can do with their tongue. Their fingers. 

Elyza takes Alicia's face in her hands, kissing her wetly, deeply, gently, their pounding hearts and rushing blood slowing as their lips press together, saying what had been unspoken for the past four days.

Suddenly there's a huge dip in the bed, and fur brushes against their tangled legs. 

"FISH!" They both laugh.

The poor boy looks up, whines, and flops his head down on his paws, nestling against their legs. Alicia pets his rump and his tail wags tiredly. The two girls grin at each other, basking in this moment of peace that they've found together.

Before long, the three of them are snoring, unable to tell where one body ends and the other begins.

(Except Fish, of course, because he's covered in golden-red fur.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut then fluff is the best combo.
> 
> Sorry about the later-than-predicted update! but it's 3 am here and *ahem* it was worth it
> 
> <3


	6. You Picked Up The Chick, So Now What? Morning Sex- Lots Of It.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the summary? The summary is i'm a PIECE OF TRASH AND THE WORD BABY GIRL IS USED

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oho-q53uiv4 - Hozier, In A Week
> 
> highly reccommend listening to this on low volume while reading the first bit :) really sets the mood. 
> 
> (also, they get a tad bit rough towards the end. Nothing besides vanilla teasing and begging, but just a friendly warning, if that's not for you)

When Alicia wakes up, the world is dark. And warm. And soft.

She takes a deep breath, ears feeling numb from the pure silence of the room. Something rises and falls beneath her chest, and it takes her a moment to remember it's Elyza.

Alicia's wrapped around her, entwined with Elyza's body, her chin resting on the blonde's shoulder, nose buried in her hair. Alicia raises herself up on her elbows, blinking sleep out of her eyes, gently unsticking their bare skin. 

Elyza's splayed out on the bed, arms over her head, legs crooked to the side. Her skin is gray in the light of the moon seeping in from the window. Her face had never been so peaceful- her blonde lashes were brushing her cheeks as her pupils moved, watching someone in the dream world. Her curved lips quirked- probably at the unfortunate demise of some phantom undead. 

Alicia smiled. 

They had fallen asleep murmuring to each other, rubbing Fish and whispering sweet nothings to him. Speaking of Fish, a loud snore startled through the air, and Alicia slapped a hand over her mouth, stifling a laugh. The dog had moved to the floor and was sleeping peacefully, utterly content. 

So was Alicia. And so, it seemed, was Elyza.

Alicia suddenly realized the ever-present weight of her past had left her shoulders, and she rolled to onto the bed next to Elyza happily, resting her hands on her stomach. If only the world would stay this way forever.

Elyza shifted next to her, smacking her lips and moving her arms, searching, apparently, for warmth, because when she found Alicia's smooth skin she latched on to whatever she could grab, pulling herself closer like a koala.

This time Alicia couldn't stop the soft laugh forming in her chest, comparing the ruthless Zombie Slayer she'd encountered four days ago, cleaving heads in two- and now to the cuddling softie she had gripping onto her arm like it was a lifeline, her nose pressed against her neck, curled on her side and sighing like she didn't have a care in the world. 

Elyza was so beautiful. Alicia felt like she'd seen it all: clothed, naked, covered in blood and shit, tired, talkative, silent, mad, peppy... , and yet there was no end to this girl. She couldn't imagine a more layered person being part of her life, and that was including Kostya.

No, no thoughts about her now. Just Elyza.

Just the way her skin was touching Alicia's, cracking with electricity despite being fast asleep, the way her collarbone tattoo spiraled and squiggled over her shoulder and down her back. Just the way those lips pressed against the pulse point on Alicia's neck. Just the way her breasts rose and fell gently in the moonlight, nipples soft in the night air. Fuck.

Alicia _wanted_ her. _Now_.

Elyza whined at the loss of Alicia's heat when she got up.

"Shhhh." She whispered to the still-sleeping blonde, maneuvering around the dog on the floor. "I'll be right back." The blonde mumbled nothings into the pillow.

The wetness between Alicia's legs was distracting, providing extra slickness when she fumbled around the room, searching drawers, desktops, until she found it, her fist closing around it at last- a candle. Thankfully, the matches box lay right next to it. 

The wax was cold and hard in her hand as she padded toward the bed, setting the candle on the side table and striking the match.

"Jesus." She whispered as she nearly blinded herself with the flare of orange light.

A grunt came from the bed- still not awake. _Good,_ Alicia smiled to herself. 

The candle wick took the flame quickly, and soon a gentle, flowery, fruity smell blossomed. Alicia could see now that the label read "Moonlit Path". She snickered to herself. Elyza was about to be on her own moonlit path- to orgasm.

She didn't think it possible, but Elyza looked even more beautiful by candlelight. Her blonde hair was pure gold, her tanned skin luminous in the dim glow.

Ever so carefully, Alicia crawled onto the bed, predetermining every hand and foot placement, suspending herself next to Elyza, who was laying in fetal position. Now, she'd need Elyza to open her legs- without waking up. Exactly how to go about that...?

Alicia smoothed her fingertips down the blonde's spine, ghosting over the ink and skin slowly, so very slowly. Her fingers followed the line of her ass, round and full, slipping two fingers gently to rub between her legs from behind.

Elyza moaned, the sound emanating deep in her chest. Whatever dream she'd been having was clearly adjusting to Alicia's attentions. 

She rolled onto her back, legs relaxed and slightly spread. Perfect.

Alicia settled down, lowering herself between the blonde's beautiful thighs. With her teasing fingers she trailed a path down Elyza's lower tummy and into the curls of her hair, tracing long sweeping patterns with her finger. Every time a moan or gasp dropped from Elyza's lips, she drew her index finger directly along her damp slit.

Alicia loved to tease.

Elyza was still breathing deeply in sleep. Alicia's finger wandered up to her breasts, illuminated in the candlelight. Her finger had a mind of it's own as it circled her under-breast and nipple, pebbling under her careful touch. Elyza inhaled sharply, and Alicia's hand vanished.

There was a long moment where Alicia didn't move, didn't touch, waiting with baited breath to see if Elyza would wake.

She didn't- just exhaled a long sigh, and unintentionally soaked up the warm light of the candle and made Alicia feel like she was looking at the sun.

As Elyza finished her sigh, Alicia slid her long tongue between her lower lips, not touching a single spot on Elyza's body other than her center.

Elyza was quiet. 

Alicia did it again, stroking all the way along her slit.

And then she didn't stop. She switched between fast and slow, circling around the sensitive bud underneath her tongue. Long laps, all the way down her slit. She could taste Elyza getting wet underneath her. 

Alicia slipped her finger into Elyza leisurely, pressing against her upper wall, exploring the way it made Elyza twitch her head in sleep and whimper. Soon Elyza's body began to tremble slightly underneath her.

It wasn't long before the candlelit room was filled with moans, and then Elyza's fingers were burying themselves in Alicia's matted curls as she came with a shudder and a gasp.

Her back arched off the bed and Alicia moved with her, lapping at her center, holding her through it as when her mouth opened and a long moan rushed out, her eyes flying open. Elyza collapsed a breathless heap on the bed, eyes rolling in her head and laughs escaping of her mouth, along with a few "holy fuck"s and "Alicia!"s 

Coming down from her high, she begins to take in the room, unable to push away the nagging observation that it looks like a overly romantic scene from a romcom- the world's gayest romcom. She gazed down in mild surprise at Alicia nestled between her legs, the candle flickering on the nightstand.

Alicia smiled, rising when Elyza's hands grip at her, pulling her close, eyes clouded by... something. Lust? Love? Elyza isn't sure, but she decides it's not the most important thing in the world when those full lips, wet with her taste, meet her own and her mind goes blank.

Unfortunately not blank enough, because the next thing out of her mouth is the most dangerous thing she'd ever said: "If you keep this up, you just might make me fall for you."

Alicia pulls back, the veil falling, eyebrows knotted and eyes roaming Elyza's shining face.

"Kiss me" Alicia says, not answering, but not rejecting. So Elyza does.

She kisses her until she has to come up for air, pulling herself on top of Alicia, sleepy and heavy and wet and warm... and happy.

She kisses the angelic angles of the face smiling below her, the jawline, the cheekbones, the eyelids closed in bliss at the fingers working between them.

Dipping a finger into her core, Elyza nips at her earlobe, earning a moan in reward. She settles her center onto Alicia's stomach, grinding down hard, her wetness providing an unbelievable sensation between their skin. 

Alicia bucks her hips, and "More, please," slips out of her mouth, causing Elyza to gasp in delight.

She buries three fingers into the girl below her, reveling in the groan that rolls out of her throat. Alicia loves the burn, loves the width, made obvious by her gyrating hips, pushing her center onto the giving fingers inside her.

This time Elyza can read the telltale signs better, the quick clenching, the snarl of her lip, the flexing of her abs as Alicia chases her orgasm- Elyza can see it, and she can make her chase all the more satisfying.

She stills her fingers, Alicia whining for her to continue. The blonde leans in over the brunette, baring her teeth in a delicious grin. 

"Do you want it?"

Alicia whimpers and bucks her hips. She was _so close._

"Uh-uh. Do you," She traces her fingers everywhere except Alicia's g-spot, "Want it?"

Alicia groans loudly, thrusting herself on Elyza's hand, her every fiber conveying the sexual frustration she was feeling. 

"No, baby girl." Elyza removes her hand to tease her sensitive clit. "Use your words."

Alicia's eyes roll back in her head at the pleasure coursing through her veins, but it's just _not enough._

Gasping, she relents. "Please."

"Tell me. Say my name."

"Please, Elyza, I want more."

The fingers move back to her opening.

"Please, Elyza, I _need_ more."

A soft yelp when her fingers enter her again. Then Alicia makes eye contact-

"Please, Elyza... Fuck me."

And then her world shatters into utter bliss.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted a a nice short(ish) chapter where they had really amazing sex and didn't give a flying fuck about any zombies.  
> But in the interest of setting up the next chapter....  
> Is Alicia using sex to escape her thoughts about someone in her past?? ? ?? ? who knows??  
> Does she get more than she bargained for with Elyza?? WHo knOWS????  
> Is Elyza a fuckin lovestuck puppy??? HELL YEAH
> 
> (psst zombie fight is comin up guys im so excited to write it for you. Will be in the...hm.. 8th chapter! lol i had to count i never expected there to be this many


	7. You Picked Up The Chick, So Now What? Pour Your Little Gay Hearts Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> YOU GUYS IM SO EXCITED THE PLOT THICKENS. Also excited, because I get to dig my fingers into the characters stories now!
> 
> Alicia and Elyza reveal some vitally important backstory and pack up to leave, moving as Elyza asked her before they were so rudely interrupted. 
> 
> (Note! Alicia's family will not play a role in this fic- just wanted to make that clear.)  
> (Also! This chapter is made of both researched-fact and stuff completely made up by me. The two mingle together so much even I get confused by what's real and what isn't, too! Headcanons, amirite?)

Alicia wakes first again, this time to the sight of sweet morning sunlight streaming through the window. She lay reminiscing, a satisfied smile pulling at her lips, remembering their night- Elyza had made her come over and over and over... 

There's something wet on her arm.

It's Elyza; she'd drooled in her sleep.  

Laughter bubbles up in Alicia's chest and she pushes Elyza out of her arms with a loud "Ew!", untangling herself from the hug they'd fallen asleep in. Elyza mumbles and groans, retreating from Alicia's pushing hands, yawning and rubbing her eyes.

"Wuzgoinon," She says blearily. 

"You drooled on me!" Alicia's giggling now. 

Another yawn. "Oh." She looks around the room, assessing her surroundings. "Oh, wait I drooled?" She turns to Alicia, a sleepy grin on her face. "Sorry."

"It's fine. I'll just wipe it on you!" Alicia drags her dripping arm across Elyza's stomach, leaving a wet mark.

"HEY!" Elyza yelps indignantly and unsuccessfully tackles Alicia, attempting to smother her in kisses but just gets tossed back onto her pillow, Alicia's tinkling laughter filling the room. 

Alicia throws herself down next to the blonde, slumping into the white sheets, putting her chin on Elyza's shoulder, her fingers unconsciously tracing the palm-size circle gear tattooed on her hip.

Elyza grins down at her. "Good morning, darlin'."

"Mornin'," Alicia mumbles back, planting tiny kisses on her shoulder. 

They both fall silent, watching Alicia's fingers mindlessly follow the spoked gear, up and down and across and back. Elyza started drifting off, hypnotized by the rhythm when something in the back of her mind prickles. 

Suddenly, Elyza sat up, knocking Alicia off her shoulder, eyes wide and unreadable. "I had that dream again last night."

"What dream?"

"The one about that design. The gear. The dream with the military girl."

"Oh. What about it?"

"The girl... she was the Commander this time, instead of General." Elyza was staring off into the corner of the room, her mind clearly elsewhere. 

"What does that mean?" Alicia prompted, looking at her. 

"I don't know," Elyza spoke slowly, like she was in a trance. Her eyes slid to Alicia's, "But she looked like you."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, exactly like you."

Alicia smirked, "I'm flattered."

Elyza shook her head, perturbed by something. No matter how much she wracked her brain, she couldn't pinpoint why the dream felt so tangible, so _real_. It took a moment to remember that Alicia was not actually Commander of the 12 Legions. 

Wait. _12 Legions? Where the hell did that come from?_

"So what exactly did I command?" Alicia's voice was sultry, and the sensation of her fingers grazing over her legs snaps Elyza back to reality. 

"What?"

Alicia smirked again. "What," she brought her lips close to Elyza's ear, whispering, "did I command?"

Elyza flinched away, her eyes lost in thought again. "While what you imply sounds _amazing_ , you misunderstand. It wasn't that kind of dream... it felt like a memory. Like you had been there all along, from the very first time I had the dream."

Alicia's face fell, disappointed that she couldn't immediately command Elyza to kiss her, and she began to pout until she realized that Elyza's brows were furrowed and her lips downturned- obviously, this dream, or memory, was something more than a possible turn-on. 

Elyza continued. "But how could I possibly _remember_ you? I've only met you recently..." She pressed her fingers to her temples. "God, the more I think about it, the more confused I get."

"It's okay, Elyza. Don't let it bother you." Alicia's hands brushed over her shoulders. "Tell me about something else." 

Elyza relinquished her fixation, letting herself be pushed back to the pillows.

"Tell me about this tattoo." Alicia's fingers were on her ribs now, tapping the small words next to her almost non-existent scab. True to Elyza's previous request of 'no more questions', Alicia didn't mention that the scab was the size of a papercut, and that that shouldn't be possible. 

" _Kom_... _kom chilnes_? What is that?" Alicia was reading the first line of the stanza inked into her side. " _Kom chilnes yu na ban...?"_

Elyza picked up where she trailed off, not needing to look at the words to recite them. 

 _"Kom chilnes yu na ban sishou-de au,_  
_Kom hodnes yu na hon neson-de op._  
_Gouthru klir hashta yu soujon,  
_ _Mebi oso na hit choda op nodotaim."_

Alicia's slender jaw dropped- she was speechless.  _  
_

Elyza smiled broadly, eager to impress. "It translates to English. Would you like to hear it?"

Alicia nodded. 

"In peace, may you leave this shore.  
In love, may you find the next.  
Safe passage on your travels,   
May we meet again."

Nostalgia fell over Elyza's heart in a wave, an ache for the home she would never return to, a friend -a girl- she would never see again. 

Alicia watched as Elyza became silent, lost to her again, sorrow drooping her eyes and lips. It hurt to watch- long-gone pain so transparently displayed on her features.Alicia reached forward, running her hand over Elyza's arms, which were crossed over her naked body, scarred and inked and beautiful in the cool yellow light of the sun. 

"Where did that come from? You had it completely memorized." She asked softly, curiosity getting the better of her. 

Elyza let out a soft laugh. "I had an interesting childhood."

"Ooooh, story time! Tell me about it. Please!" Alicia crawled under the blankets and pulled them up to her chin, mimicking a child pleading for a bedtime story. "If that's okay," she added. 

Elyza murmured her assent and fluffed her pillows, still deep in thought. She settled in across from her adorable brunette and began:

"I grew up on a large property in Australia. It would probably be called a ranch here; it was a huge rural area in northern Queensland, several acres, lined by tropical forest on the east border. It's been in my family for generations; my grandparents lived there, and when I was five my parents and I moved in with them. 

"It was pretty normal, nothing really different from America, other than the land. But the land _shapes_ the people, you know? So I grew up kind of wild. Still went to school and everything. But I always wanted to be out, climbing, playing, catching lizards and stuff- anything but school. 

"But let me tell you, there was no one more wild than Maery. God was she a handful. Huge rebel streak, I mean we're talking about a massive case of teenage rebellion here. I met her when she picked a fight with a dude twice her size in primary school- she convinced him to meet her in the forest afterwards so she could kick his ass. He came to school black and blue the next day. 

"She got a bad rep for that. Not that anyone was complaining- she took down the baddest bully in our grade. But everyone was scared of her, intimidated as hell. She was a tiny little firecracker, but she could hold her own. She had this way of staring, too. God, she could send you home wailing for Mommy with that look. 

"I knew for a really long time that she used the woods on our property- to do what, I wasn't sure. But sometimes I could see her literally swinging in the trees, like some modern monkey. Crazy.

"But anyway; she came to the house one night, when I was about thirteen. Knocking on my second-story window! Calm as could be. Of course, I let her in because I was worried she'd fall and die! But for some reason, she had picked me to be her confidant that night- she started spouting stories about finding a native village among the trees. She called them _trikru_. She said she learned their language, became a member of their tribe. 

"I never really knew if she was telling the truth, but it was really convincing. We sort of just  _fell_ into a tight friendship after that. Any time I could, I'd meet her in the drylands and we'd go running, adventuring, exploring. Once, she got bitten by a tree snake- I had to suck the venom out of her leg and carry her back to my house. Thankfully, my grandpa, Jake Lex, was a nurse- he had anti-venom in his barn. 

"Over the years, she'd come to my window at night and I'd let her in. She would sit on the floor with me, black paint smeared over her eyes, toying with whatever new item had her fancy that day, and she'd teach me the language. She called it _Trigedasleng_. And I learned it as quick as I could- faster than anything I'd ever learned in school. I desperately wanted her approval, wanted to be her equal in ingenuity, in combat, in independence from the world. 

"We were always together. Always speaking Trig. We felt like we owned the whole bush. I got my first tattoo, the Commander gear, with her in the chair next to me, holding my hand. At school, nothing changed. We did our work, hung out, but she had a brother that was always by her side. She couldn't speak Trig around him- her family had no idea where she was going all the time, they just thought she was at the mall! Or some really mundane lie that she fed them. 

"But when my mum got cancer, everything changed- fast. Suddenly, my dad couldn't cope with the stress of having a sick wife, and the divorce was filed. Then, the doctors told Mum that the best thing for her to do was to go to America, where they had better equipment- better everything. 

"And then I had to make a choice: I could stay in my home, with Maery and my dad and my grandparents and the land I loved; or I could go with my sick mother, protect her, be her companion while she moved to urban America, the land of modernism and needles and loud traffic. 

"I chose my mom. 

"Maery didn't believe me when I told her. She thought I was joking, pulling some prank to mess around with her. It took a week for me to convince her I wasn't lying. After that... after that I was the subject of her stare, her terrifying stare. She was mad. She didn't understand why I chose my dying mother over my life-long friend. She didn't understand the protectiveness I felt for my family- because _I_ was her family, I was who she grew up with, who she came to crying, who she... loved. 

"She didn't forgive me for leaving her. She showed up at my little send-off party, sobbing her eyes out, begging me not to leave. I- I couldn't say _anything_ that would help. I _tried_. And then, um, I kissed her. She kissed me back. Our first kiss. It tasted like tears. But then she pushed me away, and she started saying it... our blessing. The Traveler's Blessing. What her natives say when they mourn a death, or a goodbye.

"I had to leave that same evening.

"She didn't write, and she didn't email because she didn't have a computer. She didn't call because she couldn't afford the long distance charges. She just _vanished_ from my life, as easily as she had come into it.

"I got the Blessing tattooed at the first parlor I came across. Hurt like a bitch. Kind of felt like my penance for leaving her as soon as I'd had her. 

"Mom died three years after we arrived in America. By then, I had a steady job, an apartment, a group of friends, even. I didn't want to go back. If anything, I didn't want to face what I'd left behind- and, if Maery had moved on like I had, I didn't want to bring back those memories. 

"When my grandpa died two years ago, I couldn't put it off any longer. I'd been close with him, very close- he was the one who taught me to fight and shoot. He even sparred with me! A 75 year old man, sparring with his little granddaughter out by the barn, filthy with grass and sweat. He... he actually gave me that holster- that I gave to you. It's got his initials stamped inside. That's why I got kind of weird when I gave it to you. 

"I bought my plane ticket, but I never made it to the airport. The outbreak happened the day of my flight- people were turning left and right, running around the highways and neighborhoods, screaming. It was like fate had told me I wasn't meant to return. I went home and packed everything I could. Started to drive cross-country the next morning, running from the infection. That's how I made my way to Californina, and to you. I drove until there wasn't any more land to run to.

"And... and well that's kind of it." She grinned awkwardly and wiped away the wetness on her cheeks, falling silent.

Alicia was stunned- never had anyone been so candid with her. Elyza had laid her past bare in front of them.

She lay under the sheets, watching quietly as Elyza blinked rapidly and feigned interest in the condition of her fingernails. When she didn't stop picking at them, Alicia sat up, training her eyes on Elyza's darting baby blues, and carefully took Elyza's hands in her own.

Elyza glanced up, bare and vulnerable, stripped of her barriers and walls. Alicia could see right through her, just as she always could, but this time was different. This time, Elyza _wanted_ Alicia to see it all- the baggage and the pain that was the price for living life. 

So Alicia leaned in, and kissed her. A chaste kiss that was all lips, and all love. Acceptance. Reassurance. _I'm still here. I still want you._

Alicia wrapped her hands around Elyza's neck, feeling droplets fall onto her forearms from Elyza's cheeks. She pulled back, concerned. 

Elyza was crying. Smiling, and crying.

Her straight white teeth flashed between her pretty lips, and a heaving laugh came up from Elyza's chest. The kind of relief-filled, giddy laugh that releases everything pent up inside, the kind of laugh that made her realize that every worry in her mind about scaring Alicia away was useless, gone, unneeded. 

Because she was here, and she was real, and she was laughing, too.

Alicia realized this was one of the first times she was hearing Elyza's real laugh, and that was what made her start to giggle. Soon, both of them were so surprised and relieved and emotional in that moment that their laughter filled the entire room, waking Fish and making themselves breathless, their sides aching in the best possible way. 

Her tinkling laugh dying down, Alicia considered telling Elyza something. She wanted to share something just as valuable, just as close to her heart as Elyza had. 

"Elyza?"

"Yes?" Elyza was massaging her cramping cheeks- her smile muscles were getting a true workout. 

Alicia turned, so her back was facing the blonde. "I want to tell you something too. Something... important." She pulled her hair to the side, the long curls tangled from their night together. 

Elyza gasped when she saw the tattoo. 

It covered Alicia's spine. A large circle started at the nape of her neck, lines striking through it. Smaller marks traveled down the curve of her back, ending in a series of filled circles. Along the her lower back, embracing the trail of marks, were long sweeping lines, creating a minimalist image of flames, tickling the bottoms her shoulder blades.

Elyza began touching it immediately, fascinated by the simplicity and strength of the strokes of black ink. They flattered the swells and valleys of Alicia's back, sturdy and warm under Elyza's artistic fingers. 

"What do you think?" Alicia asked, enjoying the tenderness of Elyza's hands. 

"Oh my god, it's amazing! I- I don't know how to describe it! I can't believe I didn't notice this before."

"Well," Alicia looked over her shoulder and smirked. "We _were_ pretty occupied at the time."

"That is true," Elyza chuckled. "Did you design this?"

"No. It was drawn for me by my... by Kostya."

Elyza's fingers stuttered on her skin- she'd heard the grief in her voice that Alicia desperately tried to hide.

"She always brought me to the tattoo parlor with her, begging me to get it done. She had me watch when she got her version done, hoping that it would convince me. But I was too scared of the pain. She was a second-generation Russian- She liked to fake an accent and tell me that she could handle anything. She was so creative, and unique. Always finding different ways to make me laugh, and to get me in trouble." Alicia grinned at them memories flickering past her mind's eye- beautiful dark skin, bouncing curls, freckles, a laugh that sounded like a bubbling stream. Such along time had passed since she'd heard that laugh.

Elyza moved in close, crossing her arms around Alicia's middle and resting her forehead on her shoulder blade.

" _Was_?" She asked quietly. 

Alicia's breath quickened. "Fate told me I wasn't meant to be with her," she said, using Elyza's earlier words. "She was taken away from me when the outbreak hit the media- her family moved to Canada within a week. I got the tattoo after we waved through her car window until I couldn't see her anymore." Suddenly, she hummed, realizing something. "It's like our lives are absolute opposites. You chose your family over the girl, and she chose her family over me. Not that any of us had an actual choice in the matter."

Elyza sighed deeply. "The world is a cruel place. That's how it always plays out."

Alicia turned around fully, facing Elyza, baring her skin and its new vulnerabilities. "Can we talk about something else?"

Elyza smiled, staring at the beautiful girl in front of her, covered in the light of the sun. All hers. 

"We don't have to talk at all."

* * *

 

"Is that everything?"

"Yeah, I think so." Alicia hands Elyza her last duffle bag and she tosses it in the back of the truck, bright L.A. sunlight streaming down from the blue sky. 

"Alright, then. You ready to head out?"

Alicia sighs, looking back at the house. "Are you _sure_ we have to leave? The house is so-"

"Ugly?" Elyza interrupts. 

"Hey!" Alicia swats her arm. "I was going to say important, or sentimental!"

"Well, you sure can't deny it's ugly."

Fish barked behind them, standing in the bed of the Elyza's truck, wagging his tail. 

Elyza jabbed a thumb toward him. "See? Even Fish agrees."

Alicia rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She started back towards the front door. "I'm going to do one last sweep, make sure we have everything we need. You good?"

Elyza gave her a thumbs up and turned to pet Fish as Alicia disappeared inside. 

"Who's a good boy, huh?"

Fish whined in approval at her ear scratches, black-spotted tongue lolling out of his mouth. His coat was clean and soft, and he smelled like puppy.

He really was quite young, it seemed. Over-excitedable, definitely- they had figured that out the hard way when Elyza had Alicia yelping and shouting in pleasure several hours earlier, and they got a surprise visit when he thought Alicia was calling to him. 

Only his loveable puppy smile had saved him from being tackled by Elyza, exasperated that he'd broken the mood and she had to start all over again on the girl below her. 

Thankfully, the blonde and the dog were on better terms now.

The front door slammed, and Alicia walked over, stopping to stroke Fish's head and deposit a few last items in the truck before hopping in the front seat. 

Elyza got in the driver's side and struck the two wires together. Alicia watched, vexed. "That's not going to last forever, you know."

"Hey, I like this truck!" Elyza protested, patting the dash as the truck made a gutteral sound and sputtered to life. "He's got spunk."

"Yeah, because 'spunk' is what's going to keep us alive." Alicia muttered to the window.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Elyza pointed over-dramatically to her ear, making a face. "Couldn't hear you over the engine!"

Alicia rolled her eyes as far back as they would go, and shouted, "I said, you're a punk and hopefully we'll survive!"

"Ah, yeah that's what I thought. " Elyza smiled, satisfied, and put the truck into gear, dust spitting and the engine roaring as they pulled out of the driveway and onto the suburban road, Fish's ears flopping in the wind. They were headed west toward the sun, and the ocean. 

* * *

 

They had been driving only about ten minutes when Elyza noticed something strange. 

They had been passing Walkers every few meters along the streets, shuffling and growling. But Elyza hadn't seen any for the past few minutes.

She shook Alicia, who had closed her eyes. "Hey."

"Hmmm?" Alicia sat up. 

"I haven't seen any Walkers. Where do you think they are?"

"What? Well, if they're not near us, that's good, right? Don't worry." She closed her eyes again, tucking her chin into her shoulder. 

Elyza hummed impatiently, anxious. Alicia had a point, though.

Less than five minutes later, they passed a massive building, a center of some kind for the city. Elyza pulled up to it and gawked, pausing in the middle of the street to look. 

It was a few seconds before she looked at the front doors and saw the Walkers. 

It was a few more seconds before she realized how loud the truck engine was.

It was a few seconds more before the zombies charged the doors, pouring out.

Hundreds of them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHHHHHHH! EXCITE!
> 
> I purposely took out "until our final journey to the ground" from the Traveler's Blessing to fit the headcanon, just btw.
> 
> Gee, I wonder who Maery is?? And Kostya?? I could never guess. 
> 
> So many parallels! (LEXTRA WAS THE INSP FOR ADDING FIRE TO ALICIAS TATT BTW ;))Don't worry. If I didn't address something this chapter, it will in time. I have the whole thing meticulously planned all the way to the end #virgo


	8. Things Go Boom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The FIGHT. 
> 
> Guns TW. Violence TW. Blood TW. Trauma TW. 
> 
> Lots of Zombies are killed but no one else is. Elyza gets hurt but spoilers she will be okay. Do not worry friends. 
> 
> (Note: no protagonists are dying in this fic. Ever. Never ever.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my titles sound like *interesting* fall out boy songs
> 
> also the LA performance hall is made up and i did a ridiculous amount of research for this chapter. Google and I are buddies.

"ALICIA!" 

"Huh?" She jerked up. 

"Get ready!" 

"What?!" 

Elyza was scrambling around in the cab, looking for something. 

"The building! Look at the building!" She shouted over the engine. She ducked her head under the seat, scraping her arm around underneath. 

Alicia looked out the passenger window. They're next to the Los Angeles Performance Hall, and there are... Oh, god. That's a lot of Walkers. 

They're streaming from the wall of glass doors like some sick river, tumbling over any body that falls beneath the horde. It's a stampede. They're less than 70 meters away. 

Alicia jumped when Elyza's door slammed- she'd left the cab. She was jogging toward the bed of the truck, where their stuff was packed.

"Fuck, Elyza! Get back here! Let's just _drive_! Come _on_!" The Walkers are 50 meters away now. 

Elyza's rummaging between duffel bags, frantically looking for her guns. "It's Fish! He jumped out!" She looked up, her blue eyes despairing through the back window of the cab. "We can't leave him!"

 _"Fuck!"_ Alicia popped open her door, hand flashing to her holster belted around her waist. She pulled her .45 as she hurried toward Elyza, spotting Fish dodging between the rapidly shuffling dead, biting and barking and attempting to slow them. They ignored him. 

 _Stupid dog!_ Alicia thought protectively. The Walkers were 40 meters away. She could hear their growls. There were so many. Too many. 

Elyza's hands finally found her shotgun, cursing internally for not stowing it in the cab when she first had the chance. She dragged it to her side and checked the magazine port- fully loaded. She leaned and grabbed the ammo boxes, pulling them close. 

"Elyza..." Alicia warned, watching the approach. 

"I know! Use the truck against your back. Don't let them flank you! _Alicia!"_ Elyza looked up from loading her Colt Revolver pistol. 

The brunette was frozen. 

" _Alicia!"_ Elyza pushed the Colt into her hand, jolting her. Alicia startled, eyes wide and terrified, fingers wrapping around the gun. Elyza tried again, leaning close, forcing eye contact with her beautiful brunette. The Walkers were at fifteen meters. 

"Alicia, you have to shoot to kill. No hesitation. The head. Aim for the head! You got this." 

"I can't fire two guns at once!" Alicia cried, staring helplessly at the Colt and the .45 in her hands. 

"Yes, you can! Alternate fire, one then the other, stay near to reload-"

Alicia's eyes bugged. "ELYZA-" 

The blonde whirled, whipping up the shotgun and squeezed the trigger, birdshot thudding into the head of the Walker reaching for her neck. She hadn't even tried to aim. 

Another Walker was heading for Alicia, mere feet away. It was a middle-aged man who probably had kids and a spouse and a life but his eyes were white and his skin was dripping like wax down his jowls. A name tag on his bloodied uniform read "Kyle."

"Kyle" wanted to eat Alicia's face. 

Clammy hands stretched out and rattling breaths emanated from his throat. Alicia raised the Colt and squinted her eyes shut, cringing, dreading, and pulled the trigger. 

Kyle dropped. Headshot. 

Alicia dry-heaved and all around her there were people- Walkers. Elyza was shooting just as fast as she was reloading, the bodies dropping around her creating a ring. "Come on, babe!" She yelled, spitting fire and hell from the muzzle of her shotgun... The Commander of Death.

Fish was barking wildly, throwing his weight on the Walkers further away- he kept his distance from Elyza's loud gun. _Smart dog,_ Alicia praised. But there was a Walker heading up behind him, a straggler behind the sea of foul bodies. He was in danger. 

Alicia reacted. 

Pure, effortless instinct took over and Walkers started falling with neat holes between their brows. Alicia's wrists ached as one bullet after another she emptied her guns. Twelve down in fifteen seconds.

She backed to the bed of the truck, letting Elyza cover her as she reloaded, adrenaline sharpening her focus and steadying her hands, and then she was back out, both guns up, shooting her way to Fish. She had to reload one more time before she could reach him.

The strong dog had locked his jaws onto the Walker's arm, snarling and shaking his head viciously, dark blood covering most of his fur. Black blood? So much for the bath. 

Alicia ended the Walker with her last shot.

Fish snarled one more time and dropped the wiggling arm, wagging his tail. "Good boy." Alicia smiled emotionlessly. There were still more to be taken care of. Elyza needed help.  

Together, the girl and her dog bounded across corpses back to home base, back to Elyza and the beige truck splattered in black, surrounded by undead... No wonder Elyza insisted on black leather- no time for laundry in the apocalypse. 

 _"_ HEY!"

The shout was faint and Alicia barely heard it. If Fish hadn't pricked his ears and looked behind them, Alicia would've kept running- but she turned, and way off on the opposite side of the lot, a figure in red was running toward them. 

A human? A real human?

Despite her curiosity, she ignored the person and returned to Elyza, who was still reloading and firing without missing, backed against the far side of the pickup. Alicia climbed onto the bed, Fish following, and reloaded quickly, taking aim. The boxes of ammo were almost empty, but there were still about 150 Walkers tripping towards them.

The red figure yelled again, _"HEY!"_ Alicia could see they were waving their arms, trying to get noticed as they ran. Alicia ignored it again- they were a _bit_ busy. 

She began firing rounds off into the orderly chaos; fire, a Walker falls, another takes its place, fire, and repeat. It actually became soothing- sort of. They were quickly running out of bullets.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" The person was closer now, close enough to see the long brown ponytail and trim figure. A woman. "DRIVE AWAY! GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" A foul-mouthed woman. 

Elyza emptied the last of her shot into the nearest Walker and dropped the gun into the bed. She grabbed a wrench from a bag and spun around to swing it furiously, nearly beheading any Walker that came close. 

Alicia marveled. 

But she kept shooting. 

"PLEASE!" A cry came behind her. Alicia glanced back to see the red woman approaching, waving a handheld black box in the air- clearly a warning signal. 

Alicia continued shooting, distracted, and ended up misfiring- almost hitting Elyza, who turned and glared before whacking in the temple of a slack-jawed construction worker.

She tried to fire again, but the triggers clicked. She was out of ammo. The boxes were empty. 

Elyza couldn't take down the hundred-odd Walkers left single-handedly. 

"GET _DOWN_!" The red girl was feet away now, her neat eyebrows upturned, fear and anger twisting her face, arms pointed in front of her- and she was slamming a hand down on the black box.

Alicia heard the rumble before she saw anything. The ground was _shaking_. 

Next thing she knew, she was leaping onto the asphalt, scooping Fish up in one arm, reaching for Elyza, who was still twirling the bloody wrench. Alicia's momentum carried her too far too fast, and in slow-motion her hand grazed past the wrathful blonde... and then she was tripping onto the ground, Fish on top of her. She rolled under the truck, scraping her back on metal, pressing Fish before her, pushing them under the cab, screaming at Elyza to follow. 

She watched in horror as the the Performance Center ignited into flames, spitting its insides out and the sky split apart.

Elyza was still fighting.

* * *

All Elyza saw was zombies. 

White eyes.

Blank faces. 

Melting skin. 

Horrible breath. 

Groaning yells. 

They fell like paper under her wrench, thudding into their skulls. One moment here, down the next. 

Alicia. Where was Alicia? She was reloading at the truck. 

More zombies. 

Screaming. Not Alicia. 

Zombies. 

Screaming- Alicia. Alicia!

Elyza whirled to see her looking at another girl, wearing red. 

Zombies. 

Alicia. 

Zombies. 

Alicia screaming... at her? 

Elyza turned, catching a glimpse of Alicia's teary eyes, spittle flying from her mouth as she hollered Elyza's name, disappearing under the truck as her hand strained toward the blood-covered blonde. 

She looked around for Fish- his tail was peeking out from under the tire. Safe. 

A hand grabbed her waist and she slammed her wrench into the ear of the zombie behind her just as the Center exploded. 

The blast ripped through her body and launched her against the car, snapping her head back against the window, shattering the glass. Breathless. Unconscious. 

Debris and fire rained down. 

Through slitted eyes, Elyza watched while zombies were impaled or crushed in front of her- Hell had finally opened and was loosing its fury upon the disgraced. 

Clouds of smoke.

Dark sky. 

Haze. 

Blood dripping across her eyes. 

Silence. 

The Center kept bursting into flames- new waves of pain flew through the air and slammed against Elyza's body, crucifying her against the truck door. 

She screamed noiselessly when something pierced her stomach. 

Her head dangled backwards through the broken window, neck seizing. She struggled to lean forward. 

An iron rod poked out of her stomach. 

Grimacing and yelling her defiant cries to the raging scene before her, she forced a hand up to grip the rod. 

She pulled it out. 

Pain. Silence. Head drooping. Blonde hair limp with red and black blood. 

New pain- her leg. Sharp pain. Biting pain. 

She raised the rod and speared downward, eyes closed, and sunk it into something squishy. 

The pain receded. Barely. 

Red stained her vision when she opened her eyes. Alicia crawled out on her stomach right next to Elyza. She stood, staring at the desolation. There wasn't one Walker left. 

Alicia's ears are bleeding. There's a gash on her arm. Elyza yelped in thankfulness- she's alive. 

Alicia turned. She nearly fainted when she saw Elyza's battered body. 

Elyza knew she looked bad. Alicia's face confirmed it. Her hands flew to her mouth and sobs start to wrack her shoulders. 

Elyza's vision spiraled crazily and she swayed. Alicia's voice is muted, fuzzy. 

Hands are gripping at her. "...Elyza?" It's like talking through five layers of glass, distorted and unclear. 

"I'll be fine." Elyza mumbled. Wetness dribbled down her lip. Her eyes closed.

More talking. 

Elyza forced herself to stay awake. 

"...Hey! ... Stay with...us!" A new voice. 

Elyza blinked her eyes open. 

Brown hair. Pony tail. Red jacket. Brown eyes. 

Elyza attempted to speak, blood spilling from her mouth- _I'm hallucinating,_ she thought. _This can't be real._

Brown Eyes reached toward her, hands flitting over her wounds. Pain lanced through her body. 

Blackness began taking over, strange faces flashing before her eyes. She can't fight it off. 

The hands found the bite on her leg- the  _bite_. 

Brown Eyes' jaw dropped in horror. 

"Raven?" Elyza gasped out, blank blue eyes meeting brown.

The world went dark. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH- ELYZA WILL BE OKAY. This is part of the plot and it furthers the plotline immensely to have her hurt and heal. This is not senselessly done on my part. She will be okay. And this will play a major part in the future of the fic.


	9. Literally... Fuck You Jason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elyza has an out-of-body experience (i guess you could call it a Clarke-body experience)
> 
> confusion and more-questions-asked-than-answered play a large part of this chapter ;) that's why it took so long to get up! Sorry :( I had to balance how much to give away and how to set up the rest of the fic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is written with a little more humor than usual, because it is mostly Elyza's POV, and I wanted to explore the Aussie sass she's capable of. She also may or may not represent most of what the fandom is thinking while she experiences these *very* strange "dreams"...

When Elyza came to, she was standing- there was no pain. The air smelled fresh and smoky, like campfires, and there was grass under her feet. Elyza opened her eyes and-

"If you so much as look at her the wrong way I will slit your throat."

_Huh?_

The first thing Elyza noticed about the large man towering in front of her were his facial tattoos. And then his clothes... God, what was he _wearing_? Must be some sort of Yeezy Season 60, because the clothes were entirely tattered. A better question, though, is _who_ is he?

His beard quivered as he swallowed- his agitation towards Elyza was obvious. 

_Alright, Elyza, don't piss 'em off._

The tall man moved toward the tent behind him, and Elyza realized she was in the middle of a campsite. Tents were spread all across the large forest clearing and there were more people in funny clothes milling around- all watching her with the same suspicion as Tattoo Face. 

_Um? How the hell did I get here?_

She gulped and walked to the tent flap, held by the glaring giant, and ducked inside. Her heart was thrumming. 

_What is this place?_

Her eyes adjusted to the dim light. There was a guard-type figure with a strip of spiked metal strapped down the center of his face.

The tent was absolutely massive. Cloth was held up by trees stripped of their twigs and leaves. Smoothed trunks supported the middle. Tables covered in yellow papers were strewn around the perimeter of the room. A dark-skinned woman stood to the side, glowering.

But Elyza only saw the throne of branches, and the girl sitting upon it. 

She was toying with a dagger, black warpaint dragged over her cheeks and obscuring her eyes. Elyza couldn't move her gaze away- she had a magnetic presence. _Actually_ , Elyza realized, _I can't move anything._ Her body was moving, but she wasn't directing it. 

" _You're_ the one who burned three hundred of my warriors alive." Her eyes flicked up to meet Elyza's, challenging and dangerous.

_... Alicia?_

* * *

 

"The engine's fucked. We gotta get her outta here. _Now_."

"There, the apartments across the street!"

"Do you think they're even stable?"

"That was a 30 pound hydrazine bomb I made myself. If my math was right, the surrounding structures should be sound, with only the windows blown and some roof patches missing. Just watch for projectiles."

"Yeah, tell that to Elyza."

A pause. 

"I'm sorry, about her."

Strong, unfamiliar arms wrapped around the barely conscious blonde. "Quickly, let's go."

They set off, Elyza's arm swinging limply. It was several minutes before Alicia spoke again- they must have found a house. 

"No way. This place is a trash heap! Let's check further down the street."

"I can't carry her much longer!"

A pause.

"We can make it work."

"Alright, get the door open."

Banging, then a splintering sound.

"Here, on the couch."

"Get the dog out of the way."

"Come here, Fish. G'boy."

Elyza felt her body sink into something soft, gravity pulling her down. She groaned.

"Oh my god, she's conscious."

"See? I told you."

"You said she could heal quickly, but she's been _bitten_."

"She'll be fine." A long silence. "She has to be fine. She's recovered before. She can do it again." Another long pause. "This never would have happened without your stupid bomb!"

"Hey! Without my _stupid_ bomb, you two would still be doing hand-to-hand with the 1500 Walkers left inside the Hall!"

"...1500?"

"Yeah. The ones you guys saw were just from the foyer. Look, I know you're angry, but let's not do this now. I can help get her sewn up."

"What are you, some kind of nurse pyromanic?"

"I prefer doctor-mechanic, but that's beside the point. Help me find a needle and thread."

"Wait." A deep sigh. "I'm Alicia Clark. This is my- this is Elyza. I guess your name is Raven?"

"No... I don't know why she, Elyza, called me that. My name's Lyndsie Reyes." 

Terse silence. Feet moving around. Doors and cabinets banging.

"I got the needle."

The footsteps return and so does the pain, and Elyza fades away.

* * *

 

"I lost someone special to me, too."

Elyza stood in front of a pile of burned logs and ashes. It stunk of burning flesh- something Elyza became all too well-acquainted with recently. She could feel sadness and grief pulsing slowly through her chest. And something else too... was that... guilt? 

"Her name was Costia."

Alicia-Not-Alicia was right next to her, hands clasped over the pommel of her sword. She looked sad, and beautiful, like a statue from Ancient Greece. Pensive, innately morose, and impeccably chiseled features. 

"She was captured by the Ice Nation, who's Queen believed she knew my secrets..."

_Okay, what kind of fresh dream hell is this. Costia?... Alicia's ex? And why does Alicia have a sword?... I want a sword. That'd be so fucking cool..._

"...And cut off her head."

_Yikes. This world was not kind to my baby._

"I'm sorry." Elyza's mouth moved, but she hadn't tried to form the words. 

"I thought I'd never get over the pain, but I did."

"How?"

"By recognizing it for what it is- weakness." Alicia-Not-Alicia faced her and she... she- she was wearing the commander gear insignia on her forehead. The same one Elyza had been dreaming about for years. The same one she had tattooed on her hip.

_What. The. Fuck._

"What is? Love?"

Alicia-Not-Alicia nods, pressing her lips together. A sort of calmness settled over the emotionally-distant brunette. Whatever feelings had risen during her admission, they vanished as Alicia-Not-Alicia squared her shoulders. 

_I really need to come up with something better than Alicia-Not-Alicia._

"So you just stopped caring? About everyone?" Elyza's mouth kept moving.

Another tense nod. 

"I could never do that."

"Then you put the people you care about in danger, and the pain will never go away." Badass Alicia faced her again and all Elyza can think is how attractive she looks- but the confusion and near epiphany that was tickling her brain was driving her _nuts_.

"The dead are gone, Clarke. The living are hungry."

_I guess my name is Clarke._

* * *

 

"Lyndsie, she's not improving. Her heart rate is still high."

A sigh. "We won't have any idea how this will end until she's either up and moving, or-" Lyndsie cut herself off, wary of Alicia's reaction. 

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Lyndsie turned over on her jacket-pillow, readjusting her body on one of the few patches of flooring that wasn't covered in ashes. Her back was facing Alicia, who was kneeling next to the couch. Every commodity they'd scrounged up had gone to Elyza, the unconscious one. Lyndsie was miffed- at least Fish was curled against her back, providing warmth and comfort. Thankfully, the dog had taken quite a liking to her. 

"What do you think she's dreaming about?"

Lyndsie shrugged, knowing that Alicia was neither talking nor looking at her. "Probably you."

"Why do you say that?"

"You're in love with her. Even I can see that."

Alicia didn't say anything. 

Lyndsie sighed and shifted to her other side, turning to look at Alicia's morbid face. Lyndsie wrapped an arm around Fish's middle- the dog was completely passed out. Lyndsie made a mental note to check his hearing later. Alicia had told her she'd covered Fish's ears when the shockwave hit, but Lyndsie had to make sure everything was okay. This dog was too precious to lose. 

Alicia shifted, leaning against the arm of the couch. "I- Everything about her feels familiar. It feels _right_. She's the only normal thing I've got in this shitfest. Besides Fish, of course." She reached out and scratched the sleeping dog's nose, the tiniest of smiles on her lips. "But we never really got to say anything to each other about-"

"About being totally in love?"

Alicia rolled her eyes in Lyndsie's direction, moving a piece of gold hair off Elyza's face. 

Lyndsie continued. "Look, I've never even had a conversation with Elyza, but watching you... It's obvious. You two are crazy about each other. You'd be mad to not say anything the moment she wakes up."

Alicia pressed her lips together. She didn't voice the nagging doubts in her mind- _if_...

Lyndsie tucked her arm under Fish's chest and pulled him close. The puppy let out a snore, cozying into Lyndsie's strong body. 

Thank God for dogs, Lyndsie thought, and she closed her eyes, letting sleep, that ever-elusive friend, envelope her.

* * *

 "I take no joy in this, Raven."

Struggling against her bonds, Raven eyed her approach. 

"But justice will be done."

"I didn't do it. How is that justice?" Raven spat, terrified as the dagger connected with her arm. 

Her screams echoed all the way to the bunker, where Clarke stood, dazing.

_Alright, Clarkey, why aren't we helping the screaming girl?_

Elyza was beginning to have a little fun with being a spectator, instead of analyzing why and what exactly was happening. Was she even alive? She wasn't sure. But right now, all she wanted to see was more Badass Alicia. Not that Alicia back home wasn't badass, of course, but _swords_... and  _warpaint_... anyway. 

"It wasn't in the bottle." Clarke murmured. Her heartbeat sped up. 

_Alrighty, here we go._

Clarke marched out of the bunker, throwing the door open onto Abby and striding past Bellamy and Octavia-

_MAERY?_

Elyza frantically tried to take control of Clarke, stopping her, making her turn, _anything_ for a glimpse of the girl she'd just walked past. Braids, purple under-eye circles, a gash on her cheekbone... No _way_  Maery was part of this world. And her brother? Bellamy. The last she'd seen him was high school. No way! What was happening??

Clarke kept moving, blonde hair flying. "I need that bottle!" She ordered to Lincoln and Nyko.

Thank God Elyza was privy to Clarke's mind- she had no idea who some of these people were. 

"STOP." Clarke yelled. The crowd of dagger-wielding people glared. They were gathered around- Oh god,  _Raven_...

Raven was tied to a post, her arms over her head, covered in bloody marks and trembling. An exact replica of the girl in red Elyza had just encountered, as the world exploded. 

"Let her pass." Badass Alicia barked to the guards barring Clarke's way.

Clarke charged forward. "One of your people tried to kill you, Lexa, not one of mine."

 _Lexa._ Elyza finally knew her name. _Lexa, Lexa, Lexa._

Elyza's vision started to go blurry- the lines separating Clarke from Elyza began to fade. Elyza was losing her connection to the real world... she was losing herself to Lexa.

Commander Lexa, of the Coalition. Of Polis.

Puzzle pieces started fitting together as the green world of pain faded away before her eyes.

* * *

Clarke woke to the sound of roaring. She was back in the woods.

_Pauna._

"It's okay." Said a soft voice behind her. 

Clarke turned- it was Lexa, smeared in dirt, fragile and vulnerable-looking without her warpaint. 

She was a spitting image of Alicia. 

"You're safe," Lexa assured her.

Clarke's heart jumped at Lexa's gaze, the forest around them bringing out the green in her loving eyes. 

_So whipped._

"How's your arm?" Clarke asked, and her heart rate slows. She was comfortable talking about wounds and doctor-like things, apparently. Ironic... Elyza's grandfather, Jake, had taught her everything she knew about medicine. She wondered who had taught Clarke.

"Hurts." Lexa raiseed her eyebrows, twitched her lips.

_Don't be sassy._

Another roar sounds. Clarke's adrenaline jolts into gear. "We should go," she said, standing. "That cage won't hold forever."

"Wait."

Lexa rose, her tone insistent. She flicked her eyes down and back up, pressing her lips together. Elyza was no psychologist, but Lexa sure seemed hesitant. Determined, but hesitant.

"I was wrong about you, Clarke." She paused, another roar echoing behind them.

"Your heart shows no sign of weakness." Lexa's eyebrows raised again- she was telling the truth.

Clarke's heartbeat hummed in her chest. She was touched by Lexa's sentiment. But her stomach is starting to hurt and her throat is getting dry...

Wait, no, that's Elyza. Her body. In her own time. It's faltering.

Pain shoots through Elyza's abdomen, and her vision flickers. She's loosing her grip on the dream.

Clarke turns as another roar echoes. "The cage won't hold..."

And Elyza dissolves from their world, returning to blackness.

* * *

 "You sent for me?"

Clarke entered the tent, the world heavy on her shoulders. Elyza could feel the residual tension in her chest, the adrenaline of challenging Lexa, gaining the upper hand- an admission of feelings from the Heda of the 12 Clans. 

'Not everyone. Not you' kept replaying through Clarke's mind.

Elyza knew everything that had just happened. 

"Yes." Lexa said. "Octavia has nothing to fear from me."

Clarke blinked- she was surprised to have swayed the Commander's mind.

_Honey, come on. Are you really surprised at this point? Also, why was Maery, I mean, Octavia- whatever- getting herself in trouble again? Typical._

"I do trust you... Clarke." Lexa looked down at her maps. 

Adrenaline spiked up Clarke's shoulders. Lexa was finally opening up. 

Clarke stepped closer. "I know how hard that is for you," she said softly, acknowledging the depth of the Commander's words. 

Lexa eyed her, judging her words. Nothing was _hard_ about trusting Clarke. 

"You think our ways are harsh, but it's how we survive." Lexa was trying, _trying_ to help Clarke understand. This was their _way_.

"Maybe life," Clarke raised her eyebrows, "should be about more than just surviving." She looked down, fiddling with a map on the table. "Don't we deserve better than that?"

_That's my stubborn girl._

Lexa exhaled, every ounce of her being concentrated on Clarke.

"Maybe we do."

Clarke looked up as Lexa slipped a hand behind her ear, pulling her face in and then Lexa was kissing her and Clarke was kissing her back. 

She felt like she just downed a shot of Jasper's liquor as she fell into the moment. Lexa was such a good kisser, soft and gentle, and her hand felt so good on Clarke's neck. Lexa smelled like the chemicals of facepaint and the lavender oil she massaged in her hair, like campfire smoke and a musky something that was just... _Lexa_.

_Yes!! Woo! Get 'em, Clarke!_

But as Lexa leaned in again Clarke pulled away, her blood rushing in her ears. "I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head. "I'm not ready, to be with anyone." Her eyebrows quirked. "Not yet."

Lexa backed off, still lovestruck from the kiss. She raised her chin, blinking away the affection she'd let rush into her system- she gave a small nod. 

_"The signal!"_

A shout in Trigedasleng came from outside the tent and the two broke apart-

_Wait, Trigedasleng? Don't tell me these people... speak Trig? Oh my god._

Elyza was starting to fade again. She had to go back to Alicia.

_What the fuck just happened._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate to have teased it, but actual doctor mechanic won't be part of the fic :( however, Lyndsie is still gay af and i can practically guarantee the endgame for her will satisfy you ;)
> 
> Every scene in this chapter was specifically chosen, so if you're wondering why a certain season 3 was left out... well, you'll see soon enough
> 
> But I hope this satisfied your cliffhanger nerves!


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